Sacred Flame
by PrairieRose1017
Summary: Sequal to "Shen Again." It's less than a month until Shen and Lien's wedding. After twenty-three years of waiting, Gongmen City will finally have a king and queen again. But wolves have been prowling, and are planning to tear apart our couple's happiness.
1. Chapter 1: Class

**LOOK WHO'S BACK! I got inspired to write the sequal to Shen Again, so here you go! I solomly swear that this story will take_ A LOT _longer than Shen Again. I have painfully hard classes this semester and these chapters will take a long time. Believe me, it hurts me as much as it hurts you (if not more XD). lol So... I'm SSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad you guys liked the first one and I want to thank all of you for reading it. REVIEWS MAKE ME SO HAPPY (and sometimes make chapters come out faster, because I know you have read the chapter ;))! **

**Disclaimer: Once again, I know that peahens, in real life (Gasp! Real life? In fan fiction? NEVER!), DO NOT have a fan tail like the males. It's just more fun for Lien-Hua's style if she has a fan tail. Thank you! **

**Anyway... Enough of this stuff. READ AND ENJOY! XD**

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><p><strong><span>Sacred Flame<span>**

**Chapter 1**

**Class**

"So you jump high and…" I jumped flat footed off the grass, and preformed a body roll with my staff held in front of me above my head. At the last minute I threw it point-first into the ground and perched on the top. I reached down and preformed a cartwheel fanning my tail for effect and landing with my staff stretched in front of me.

"Ooh!" My students cooed from their seats in front of me. I had started a school of Kung Fu in Gongmen City. Five times a week we met at, what was now, my old rice farm and practiced techniques. Some days we ran, some we hiked, others we tested our skills. But every Friday I promised them a show of my talents that I had learned from the Jade Palace after the lesson.

"Show us again! Show us again!" A little gazelle girl clapped and jumped up and down as she shouted above her friends cheers. I chuckled and smiled at their joy filled faces. Skillfully I spun my staff around and readied myself for another move, when the spinning was stopped and my wings were held above me. I whirled around and came face to face with the warm brown eyes of Prince Shen.

"Showing off again I see." He crooned, bringing his wings down so that the only thing that separated us was the bladed staff. The children cooed, and some of the girls giggled.

"Some would call it teaching." I replied softly. We both chuckled.

"How about we give them a real show?" Shen suggested kissing me quickly.

"Can you handle it?" With added emphasis on the last word, I shoved him back and we stood ready to spar.

"The question, my dear, is, can you?" The students oohed again as I glared at my fiancé.

"Seems you can talk the talk, peacock; but can you strut those words?" I tossed my staff aside and glided forward. The prince met me in mid-flight and so the play-fight began.

Three years had passed since Prince Shen had returned to Gongmen City and vowed to rebuild every brick that Lord Shen had destroyed. It had also been three years since the people had forgiven him and accepted him as their prince. I had tried to tell him that he needed to have a coronation, but the white peacock had refused. He told me that he couldn't be made king without his queen by his side.

I, Lien-Hua, had saved the long imprisoned prince and liberated Gongmen City from the evil reign of Lord Shen. Well I guess I had some, ok a lot, of help from the Furious Five, the Dragon Warrior, Master Shifu, Storming Ox, and Croc. A long list? Yes. But are all of them credited for the peace in China today? Also a yes.

Over those years we, Shen, I, and the people of Gongmen, had been reconstructing the great city. We toiled night and day, rarely pausing, but always dreaming of our city returned to its former glory. At two years, all of the houses, bridges, and the docks had been restored. The palace and Tower of Sacred Flame had been nearly finished and only had three more stories to go.

But today, this day of glory, everything was finished. The last bricks and metal works had been set in place. The wood-worked wings on every tier of the Tower gleamed with their new polish. The courtyard was re-paved with cobblestones, and the gardens out-shined the former ones tenfold. Silk flags with Shen and I's new seal, a lotus within a rising sun, adorned every tower on the walls and lined the streets.

The people were so excited of their accomplishment. They were proud to have rebuilt their city, and not a single soul could hold it in. Nearly every night there was a small firework show to brighten everyone's spirits and keep hope alive for this day. Tonight we had planned a huge celebration to let everyone into the palace to see their finished work.

Wait, I completely forgot about the class! Shen and I were sparring, and showing off quite a lot. We never touched each other, just made it look that way. I spun and used my tail in a tripping maneuver and he jumped, then he kicked high and I pretended to take it to the jaw by throwing my head back and falling over.

"Still think I can't take it?" Shen panted standing over me.

"_Think_ was never part of the equation, love." I replied and jumped into the sky. Using my incredible speed I hid in a cherry tree, and waited for Shen to follow.

"Come now Lien. You think you can hide from me?" Shen strutted towards the tree with a devilish smile on his face. He came closer and I used a short teleportation to appear right behind him. My students giggled but I raised a feather to my beak to shush them.

Silently I leaned in right by Shen's ear, and said loudly, "What are you looking at?"

"AHHHH!" He shrieked and jumped into the little cherry tree. His wings were pinned back and his tail was half-fanned beneath him, as his legs stuck out from under his white silk robe. The little light pink flower petals settled on his head and decorated his robe. Immediately, the children burst out laughing and began to roll around in the grass. I was laughing pretty hard myself as I helped my fiancé out of the plethora of pink petals.

"You look…stunning, Shen." I choked through the giggles. He just glared at me and swept the petals off his robe. Then a foxy smile came to his beak, and he collected a wingfull of the petals. My eyes got wide and I stepped back.

"Oh no. No no no. Shen…" I spread my wings in front of me and waved a pointer feather at him.

"This is payback not only for the tree, but for the meeting the other day with the Masters Council as well." Then he threw the petals at me.

I glared and my students took up their stances behind me. "You forget Shen, I have a whole army behind me." I fanned my tail and put on a vixin look. Shen's eyes got wide and he stepped back. "ATTACK!" I crowed and the children charged forward.

"Nooooooooooo!" The prince cried as they piled on top of him. I couldn' t help but laugh as my poor peacock was buried by my little Kung Fu warriors.

"Careful now! You don't want to kill him!" I was still laughing as Shen started to thrash around, trying to dislodge my students.

"Owww!" He yelped as one child tore out a few feathers.

"Hey now! No pulling on the feathers!" I scolded and shooed them off of my squished prince. "Come on; off with you!" Then I chuckled as they left Shen like an over-played-with toy and circled around me.

"Did we do good, Master Lien?" The children chorused.

"Yes!" I beamed. "You all acted bravely, the way a real warrior of Kung Fu would. As a reward you're all dismissed early. Go home and help your families prepare for the festival tonight!" They cheered and took off, racing back to the city. I watched them until they were out of earshot, then turned to my ill-fated fiancé. Shen was stretched out on the grass still recovering from the surprise attack. I smiled and shook my head as I strided over and lay down next to him.

"Sorry about that." I apologized.

"Oh no! I apologize for interrupting your class. NEVER again!" He panted and rolled over to face me.

"You always do like to live dangerously." I cooed and stroked his face with my wing. Those deep brown eyes became pools of caring and Shen scooted closer so our beaks touched.

"I am engaged to a master of a dangerous art." We laughed. "That has to count for something."

"It does." I pulled him closer and kissed him. The ardency of the kiss made my stomach feel warm and my heart sing. Yet the very outer sense in my brain still had my hearing tuned to the outside world, and I heard a droning howl. I pulled back. "Did you hear that?" I murmured.

"Hear what?" Shen breathed and leaned forward for another kiss. Then the howl sounded again.

"That." I snapped into a sitting position and listened hard. I could hear them in the outer fields, by the peach grove. The white peacock sat up next to me, oblivious to the wolves on the edge of my rice farm, and kissed my neck a few times.

"I didn't hear anything." He lied using a seductive tone.

"Of course you did silly. Come on! We have to go stop them." I stood and took off.


	2. Chapter 2: Too Good to be True

**Chapter 2**

**Too Good to be True**

"Always something." I muttered. It seemed that every time that Lien and I had some time, alone, together something ruined it. I stood and followed her fast flight to the outskirts of her farm. She pointed to a group of fifteen scraggly wolves sniffing around through the peach trees. Then Lien motioned to a little rise and we landed there, fanning our tails to get their attention.

"Hello!" Lien called tersely. I could tell her temper was dangerously thin, and almost felt bad for the wolves. All dropped what they were carrying and tucked their tails. "What do you think you're doing on my family's plantation?" The venom in her tone made even me cringe.

"We all have to fend for ourselves. My pack needs food, and we are reduced to this. I wouldn't expect a petty peahen such as yourself to understand." A young warrior stood with his staff poised, ready to fight. I could almost see steam coming out of Lien's ears.

"You're not welcome in this province!" I called stepping in front of the peahen to keep her from flying down there, blades gleaming.

"And you are a hypocrite!" The pup snapped with an overconfident look on his ragged face. "You promised us victory and a city! Yet look where we both stand!" My feathers stood on end at this display of insolence. Lien shouldered past me and shot the dog a look of daggers.

" Lord Shen promised you those things and he has perished! You will too if you think you'll gain anything from stealing from our people! Who do you think you are accusing us of such crimes?"

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><p>"Feng stop, while we have the chance to escape." A young female touched her paw to his arm and tried to turn him away.<p>

"You're not going anywhere." The voice would always sound timid to my ears, but it made the wolves freeze. They turned and there was Master Crane facing us with the rest of the Furious Five, Po, and Master Shifu behind him.

"All of you! Get out of here!" Feng howled and sprinted up the rise to where Shen and I were. His speed was unexpected and he reached us before I had a chance to think. With his built up momentum he leaped at me and swung the staff. It whistled through the air and cracked across my ribs; the same ones that hadn't healed properly three years ago when they were broken by the cannon blast.

I screamed and collapsed on the ground. My vision blacked out but I fought for consciousness. I heard the rush of wings and pictured Crane flying over and pinning the dog to the ground. Then I heard a yelp and ragged breathing. I forced my eyes open and saw Shen holding his side, and the pup collapsed on the grass. His paw was wrapped around a long, razor-sharp blade lodged in his chest. His head was laid close to mine.

"You see?" The pup whispered with his last breath. "Lord Shen still lives." Then his last breath left him and he crossed over.

"You're wrong." I whispered and struggled to sit up. Mantis zipped around and helped me up. With an extra nudge from Viper I stood and stumbled into Shen's outstretched wings. "You're hurt." I observed running my wing over the cut on his side.

"It's nothing. Just a little scratch." He replied. His snowy white feathers were stained red from the blood. The look in his eyes told me that he was lying so I wouldn't worry.

"What are we; chopped liver?" Po called as he and my friends made their way up to us.

"Of course not!" I turned and wrapped my light pink wings around the big panda. Crane, Monkey, Viper, Tigress, Mantis, and Shifu joined in and soon I was covered in a warm hug pile. "I missed you guys so much!" I mumbled.

"We missed you too." Tigress replied in her lyrical voice.

"Some of us more than others." Monkey sniggered as Crane shot him a look of daggers and tried to cover his blushing face with his hat. I smiled. Then I noticed Bo returning to report. Daintily she landed on the Dragon Warrior's head and her squad hovered in the air.

"Oh so I'm a perch now?" The panda asked the little squirrel.

"Yep, and you do your job quite well." She giggled. "Here to report Lien." Bo saluted to me. I nodded. "The wolves escaped to the mountains."

"Good work. I just hope they stay there." I replied as Shen hobbled over to me and linked his wing with mine.

"Thanks. Do you need anything else?"

"Yes actually. Could you fly back to the palace and tell the Soothsayer that there was a fight and a few wounds? That way she can get ready for us." I asked remembering the pain in my chest and Shen's wound.

"I'm on it. See you there!" LaBozzetta saluted and took off flying circles around the elegant raptors.

"Those wolves have been getting braver and braver. It's starting to worry the people, and we have little to no army…" I explained.

"Understood," Shifu said from his perch on his staff. "But you shouldn't be worrying about that." He smiled in a fatherly way.

"Yeah, you have a wedding to worry about." Viper exclaimed. The peacock and I shared a smile and pulled each other closer, and I rested my head on his chest.

"They're right. You can't worry your pretty head about such things." Shen told me and kissed the top of my head.

"Alright," I sighed, "I just wish that my father was here to walk me down the aisle. Then I remembered something. "Po, did you see Genji-Feng and Bo-Chen before you left?"

"They're not here?" Tigress asked.

"No…"

"They left a week and a half ago so they could get here and catch up with you guys." Crane explained striding over to my left side. My eyes got wide and my beak fell open.

"Shen, what if the wolves have them?" I gasped.

"We had to sneak around a wolf camp on our way here. We didn't see any signs of you brother and sister." Mantis explained.

"Did you see about how many there were?" Shen asked slipping into his military persona.

"There were about thirty, and they were all mangy and skinny. None were too well off." Viper informed him kindly. Her comrades shot her evil looks but she didn't care. I could feel Shen relaxing too; he was still a little jumpy around my friends from the Jade Palace, but Viper, Po and Shifu's lack of venom towards him was helping little by little.

"Interesting." The prince took on a thoughtful look and stroked his whiskers.

"We have to search this camp!" I exclaimed spreading my wings. Upon the sudden movement my chest shrieked on pain. I gasped and clutched my chest.

"You are in no condition to storm in on these wolves and demand answers." Shen helped me keep my feet and wrapped his snowy wings around me protectively.

"Shen's right." Tigress said flinchingly. "You need to get back to the palace to be tended to. We'll go and check out the camp. Crane, Mantis, come on." She motioned to her friends and took off running.

"We'll be back by sundown." Crane told me and turned to leave.

"Be careful." I told him locking my eyes with his shy hazel ones. With a curt nod he pumped his wings to catch the pair of Kung Fu masters. I sighed and slumped my shoulders.

"Why would they take my family?" I moaned.

"I don't know, my love. I just don't know." Shen rubbed my shoulders and kissed my head as I began to weep softly.

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><p><strong>Once again, sorry for the wait, but that's just the way it has to be. I'm trying my hardest to keep it going though! Thank you for the support! XD<strong>


	3. Chapter 3: The Tower

**Hey people! Sorry that this is taking so long but Happy Valentine's Day. Here's a new chapter! lol**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**The Tower**

We made it to the palace about an hour after noon. Po, with the help of Viper and Monkey, told us about a few of their adventures after the liberation of Gongmen. Shifu would chuckle and add an interjection every once and a while. After a while it felt like I was back training my feathers off at the Palace.

The best part was the fact that Shen would laugh and tell his own joke every now and again. Monkey was a little uptight at first, offering only a weak chuckle, and I didn't blame him. But then Shen, my wonderful Shen, broke the ice in the best possible way.

"I remember watching your technique that day. It was quite impressive." He had complimented. Monkey had just paused and stared at the peacock, confused.

"Come now Monkey, what do you say?" Shifu had nodded and waved his staff in our direction. Viper, Po, and I had giggled.

"Umm…Thank you." The simian had stuttered. After that it was like we were all good friends, laughing, teasing, and forgetting the past. We made it to the palace and were greeted by the Soothsayer, who had taken up residence in the gardens, where she preferred to be.

"What did you get yourselves into this time?" The old goat asked as we gimped down the path to her hut.

"Wolves were stealing from my plantation. There was a little scuffle, and I got hit across my ribs. I think they're bruised pretty bad." I explained. "Shen on the other wing won't let me look at his side." I shot him a playful glare.

"It's more important that you get patched up." Shen's voice was strained and his eyes were glazed over. I just knew he was in a lot of pain.

"The best I can do for the ribs, is suggest a hot bath and some mint tea. But the wound I'll need to examine." She motioned to a soft patch of grass nearer to the hut.

"Lien there's no need to worry, I'll be fine." Shen tried to make my worries fade, but they wouldn't until he was back in my wings and in our room.

"You know I can't help but worry." I replied moving to sit by him. "Will you need help Soothsayer?"

"No. All I have to do is clean it out and pack it up. You go do as I said and sleep. You'll want to be your best for tonight." She shooed me away.

"I'll be fine. Go relax." My brave fiancé squeezed my wing and smiled.

"You'd better be." I teased with a wink and turned back to the marbled Great Hall where my friends waited. Po, Shifu, Viper, and Monkey waited there admiring the artistry. "You could have come out with us. The gardens are in full bloom and quite gorgeous this time of year."

"Yeah, but we didn't quite make it past the Hall." Po replied. "This place is even better than the last one! What I saw crumbling beneath me anyway…"

"It seems bigger too." Monkey commented.

"We did enhance it a bit." I smiled and tried my wings. The movement burned a bit but I soared across the floor. My landing was a little less than graceful as I slid across the floor. Viper slithered over and helped me keep my balance.

"Be careful." Po warned.

"I'll have to loosen up the muscles somehow." I countered. "Come on. I have to show you guys your floor."

"You made us a floor?" Viper gasped. I nodded and flapped my wings to lead them up five flights of stairs.

"It's half a floor really, but it's still pretty awesome." Po laughed at the use of his favorite word. "It's also 100% secret. Only Shen and I know about it." We reached the fifth floor and came to a huge mural of the Jade Palace.

"This is beautiful! Did you paint this?" Shifu asked, for once, in awe.

"Shen and I did. This entire floor we did by ourselves."

"You always were so good with a paintbrush." Po complimented.

"Thank you." I blushed proudly.

"Wait a second; is that me?" Monkey pointed to the almond tree grove. Painted into the white and pink blossoms, amber brown trunks, and deep green leaves one could see the form of Monkey in his stance.

"Yeah. You're all in it, in your favorite spots." Tigress was in the Iron-wood trees, Crane in the sky and clouds, Po in the dorm kitchen. Viper was by the lotus pond with her ribbons, and Shifu was in his cave perched in his staff. I was ever so cleverly hidden within the stony recesses of the ledge under the Peach Tree of Wisdom with Shen's seal barely visible over my heart. Lastly Master Ooguay was easily seen within the delicate petals of the peach tree.

"Incredible!" My friends breathed.

"This isn't even the best part." I smiled and faced the wall. The only way to get to the other half of the room was to hit the tile hidden under the door to the Palace about seven feet off the ground _(AN: Pefowl are only about 3-4 feet tall, so it's a little ways off the ground for little ol' Lien ;)). _I jumped up, spun around and kicked the perfect spot. I landed daintily and the wall split in half allowing all five of us to walk in side by side.

"This is only _half _a floor?" Po gasped dancing around and admiring the indoor garden. Huge windows surrounded the whole room and sunlight poured in. Soft and incredibly fluffy cushions were scattered throughout the sunroom for relaxation purposes. Seven strong and highly decorated doors arched around us; one for each of my friends.

"Go on! Check it out!" I spread my wings and watched excitedly as the Kung Fu masters scattered to find their surprises.

"This is AWESOME!" Monkey and Po sighed flopping onto their beds.

"I have to make one of these back in the Valley!" Viper hissed curling up in her soft nest.

"Everything is impeccable! And this artistry; it is truly a wonder!" Shifu complimented.

"Thank you! All of the metal-work was done by Shen's talon, and the painting and lanterns was my handiwork." I beamed and settled on one of the cushions.

"I can't believe you did all of this for us!" Monkey came to sit in a ray of sunshine while munching on an almond cookie.

"Are you kidding? You guys have done so much for us that this is the least Shen and I could think to do for you." It was true. For the first year, after Lord Shen's defeat, they had stuck around to help us get started on the Great Reconstruction, as we had deemed it. They had been a critical part in getting the people on board with our plans. They were the best motivators we could have asked for; who better to have behind you than the whole gang from the Jade Palace?

"Thank you for everything." Po smiled from his, slightly wider, doorway.

"Not a problem." I grinned. "I'll leave you guys to explore. See you later!" With that I walked out on the balcony and looked out across the gardens. Then I sighed and looked up; two tiers higher was Shen and I's room. Carefully I spread my wings and caught a warm air current and glided up to our marbled balcony.

A little tub was filled with hot water and I dragged a few blinds around it and jumped in. The warmth of the water seeped into the soreness of my muscles and I sighed contentedly. After soaking for a few more minutes I climbed out, dried off, and slipped back into my robe.

Just then Shen ascended through the west balcony. He slipped a bit on the landing and I glided over to help steady him. "Easy there warrior. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself again." I pecked his cheak.

"Ha. I should be fine now. The Soothsayer said she would wake us up and stitch it closed." We walked wing in wing to our soft, comfy nest.

"I'm glad that we're both going to survive to get married." Shen settled down and I cuddled up next to him. I snuggled my head under his chin and he pulled me closer to his un-wounded side. "I love you."

"I love _you_!" Shen cooed and fluttered kisses over my face and neck.

"Now now. No need to get frisky. We're not married…yet." I kissed him sweetly.

"Fine." My prince sighed playfully. I smiled then laid my head on his chest and fell into a light sleep to the sound of his heartbeat.


	4. Chapter 4: Broken and Healing

**Here you go! Chapter 4. It's MUCH longer than the rest, because I was experimenting with putting two POV's in one chapter. It's a newish conceptish to me and I hope I did a good job. Anyway I'll can it and let you read. Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**Broken and Healing**

True to her word, The Soothsayer woke us after a short nap and allowed me to help her stitch my fiancé back together. "There you go." The old goat congratulated as I nipped off the end of the thread and dipped the needle in some hot water to sterilize it. "I'm surprised that you still remember everything I taught you."

"I'll never forget." I replied. "Besides with the upcoming mission I'm going to need to be ready to patch everyone up on the go." We laughed and I helped Shen to his feet.

"Well, Shen does make the perfect practice dummy." She teased. I giggled as his black beak became downturned but a happy twinkle was still in his eyes.

"You would know that better than anyone else." The white peacock countered.

"At least you're accepting my wisdom now." They shared a look; sort of an I'm-letting-go-of-the-past-but-it-will-still-come-back-to-sting-you look. "Well enough out of me, you two need to get ready for tonight. The sun is making its way to the horizon." The old goat turned to leave.

"Wait!" I said and soared over to my closet. "I got you a little something." I pulled out a folded silk robe of many different colors. On the sleeves it had the symbol of yin and yang, and the rest of it was decorated with designs of plants and flowers.

"I couldn't possibly accept this!" She said in awe.

"Of course you can. You've been through so much and you deserve a nice robe for tonight." I smiled as she took it and ran her hoof over the soft silk.

"This will certainly be one of the nicest robes I've ever owned. Thank you Lien-Hua."

"No thanks needed." I replied and wrapped my wing around Shen's snowy white shoulders. "We'll meet you in the garden to see what it looks like before the festival." With a last nod she left us to get changed.

"You are incredible." My fiancé told me and pecked my cheek.

"Aw nonsense. I just like to make people happy."

"And that's why I love you." Both of my wings were now folded in Shen's and his eyes were bright and excited.

"What are you all worked up about?" I teased.

"I got you a present." He led me over to his closet and walked inside. "Close your eyes." He called through the ruffling of fabric. I did and smiled. Sometimes he was such a goof, but I loved him for it. I heard his talons click on the floor as he turned around and came back out. "Ok, you can open your eyes now."

Slowly I opened my bright blue eyes and saw Shen proudly holding a gorgeous silk robe. It was a menagerie of light blue, lilac purple and cherry blossom pink. My old seal was woven into these colors and on the back was a lotus in the rising sun embroidered in silver thread. The trim was silver and had winding ivy embroidered into it in a soft green thread. "Shen!" I gasped, "This isn't just beautiful; this is the most incredible bit of weaver's work I've ever seen! Where on earth did you find this?" He tried to hand it to me but I just threw my wings around his neck and kissed him full on the beak.

"I hoped you would like it." Shen said a bit shocked at my reaction.

"This would have to be the most incredible thing I've ever been given." Then I smiled a bit devilishly. "Except your love of course."

"Of course." The peacock smirked.

"I feel horrible now that I didn't get you anything!"

"Oh nonsense. Don't work yourself up over something that miniscule." He waved a wing. "All I want is to get to call you my wife, and rule the province with you for the remainder of my days."

"Aw. You're so wonderful." I kissed him again.

"Please, go on." Shen teased as we walked behind our different shades to change. I just rolled my eyes.

"Once a prince, always a prince." I scoffed.

"What? A peacock can't enjoy a few compliments from the love of his life?" The rest of the time we just bantered back and forth telling each other how wonderful we are; we're peacocks ok? We like a bit of a confidence booster.

Then there was a knock at the door. I was seated at my vanity working on a touch up, and Shen was nestled in our nest with his silver robes flowing around him. "Come in." We chimed. A little antelope messenger stepped in and bowed to us.

"You highness', Master's Crane, Mantis, and Tigress have returned. They wish to speak to you in private." There was no stutter in his tone, which many of the messengers were just overcoming since Lord Shen's cruel reign.

"Thank you, son. We'll meet them. Here." Shen placed a few gold coins in the little deer's hoof. "Enjoy the festival."

"Thank you my prince." He bowed again and scampered back down to the Great Hall.

"You're learning well." I teased him after tucking my comb in the feathers on the back of my head. It had a neatly carved wooden lotus on it and my father had given it to me, just before he was killed.

"I have a good teacher." I smiled and walked over to the nest. I offered my wing and together we walked over to the balcony.

"I'll need to show them the secret entrance to their room, come on." I soared over the railing and down to the east side of the fifth floor, Shen right on my tail feathers. We landed gracefully, fanning our tails to mark our arrival.

"Lien, there you are!" Tigress said impatiently. I could tell by the looks on my friends faces that they had news; I just wasn't sure if it was good or bad yet.

"We made it to the camp and…" Crane spoke, but Shen cut him off.

"It's not safe to talk in the open like this. Follow me." He then jumped up and kicked the hidden tile. Quickly we filed into the other room and they sat on the cushions.

"This is super cool!" Mantis said in awe.

"Thank you." I beamed. "It's completely secret and all for you guys."

"Sweet." Crane had settled closest to me, with Shen on my right wing, Tigress across from me, and Mantis perched on a vase.

"So what did you find?"

"We made it to the camp, and it was empty." Mantis told us.

"What? Are you sure it was the same camp?" Shen asked. There was no mind in all of China that could compare with Shen when it came to such matters; he was as sharp as one of his own throwing blades.

"One hundred percent. We even found Po's tracks where we had snuck by. Everything was gone." Crane pressed.

"Hmm." Shen pondered.

"Then we began to look through the tents, and store houses, to see if there were any clues." Mantis put in.

"That's where it gets strange." Tigress spoke up. "All of their provisions were there. Knives, food, clothing, canteens for water, it was all stacked up in store houses. It looked like they just disappeared into thin air."

Now it was my turn to speak, "Did you see any signs of Genji or Bo-Chen?"

"We did find these." Crane took off his hat and handed me a pair of golden feathers.

"These are Genji's. Those wolves have the only family I have left." My eyes darkened, and I could feel Shen recoil just a bit. "How dare they?" I just couldn't take it anymore. I had been civil about it, but no more. "They will pay for this! If any harm comes to my brother and sister, the same harm will come to them. This is as far as I can take it! I will not see the last of my family die!" Without a second thought I jumped up and zoomed out the window and over the city. "They'd better hope I don't catch up to them."

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><p>"Lien! Wait! You can't…" I called after her, but she was already halfway across the city. I sighed. "Was she always like this at the Palace?" I turned to her friends and they were all open mouthed staring at where Lien had disappeared.<p>

"Truthfully no." Shifu sighed. "Lien was always the calm one. Even when Po showed up and the rest of us were horrible to him, she accepted him like he was one of the family. She's never been one to snap."

"She's been through a lot, and she never did get to see her mother before she passed over." Crane added.

"And she hasn't seen Bo-Chen or Genji-Feng since she was banished. That would be twenty-three years without her family." Monkey said.

"Well we can't just let her go out there and track these wolves down." Tigress stood. "We have to stop her and make her try and enjoy tonight. We'll leave first thing in the morning to search." She confirmed.

"Good idea." I agreed. She actually nodded at me, which made me smile a small smile.

"Crane, Shen; you try and catch her by air. The rest of us will see if we can catch up to her by other means." Shifu instructed and we moved towards the balcony.

"I'll stay here in case she comes back." Po offered.

"Thank you Po." I said and turned to Crane. "Well, here goes nothing!" We shared a nod and rocketed off the balcony in the dying sunlight.

For a few minutes we flew in silence, just focusing on speed, but after a while I looked over at the spindle legged bird. His eyes were narrowed and I could see wheels turning in his head. "What are you thinking, my friend?" I called over the rush of the wind we created. When he didn't respond I drifted closer. "Master Crane?"

"Oh! Sorry." He shook his head. "What did you say?"

"I was just wondering what's going through your mind. You seem incredibly focused for a bit of fast flying." I chuckled.

"I worry about Lien sometimes. She deserves to just be free of all of the things that have plagued her for so long." He looked down at the city that was passing in a blur below us. I could see little flashes of the other masters keeping good pace with us as well.

"I agree." I still feel like the scum of the earth for what I did to that poor peahen for those years I was Lord Shen. Most of her problems started with me and I hated that fact.

"You can't blame yourself though, Shen." The crane must have learned to read minds somewhere in his life. He was staring at me with a kind smile on his beak. "It's not your fault."

"Ah, but it is." My brow furrowed and my beak turned down. "Everything is my fault."

"I'm sure Lien has told you this many times, my friend, but that includes the good things. Sure you did some horrible things in the past, but you can't look back at them anymore. Unless you want the evil to return. But look at what you've done since you let that go!" He spread his white and navy blue wings wider, indicating the city. "You've rebuilt your city, and regained the trust of your people. And you've got us behind you too."

"Thank you, Master Crane. You are a good friend." We smiled and realized that we were getting closer to Lien and we were about three or four miles out of the city.

"Lien! Lien-Hua! Stop!" We called, but she didn't even pause. Crane caught a quick updraft and I continued on my path parallel to the ground. I watched the Kung Fu master circle higher and higher, and catch more speed. When checking our distance, I realized he would hit the peahen from above, and I would get her from behind. She would have no choice but to stop.

At that very instant, Lien clapped her wings to her side and dove into a thicket of bamboo. I sighed and shook my head. "Lien would you just stop?" I screamed.

"They have my family Shen! I'm not letting them get away!" She threw the words over her shoulder. I looked skyward and saw Crane going to cut off her escape. I had to keep her focused on me.

"Lien, come back to the palace and we'll figure out a plan. You can't just leave right now; you have no supplies, no weapons, no backup. Just stop." She refused. I followed her into the thick green stalks and almost caught her, but she twisted to the side and weaved through some incredibly tight spaces and I had to follow on a tad different path.

Just when I lost sight of her pretty pink feathers I heard the sound of a scuffle and, "Crane get off me!"

"Sorry Lien. I'm under orders." He joked. I was starting to like these masters more and more every minute.

"From who? I'm the queen-to-be! Get off!" She hissed as I reached the end of the bamboo, and saw her pinned to the ground by Master Crane.

"By me." I said deeply and landed in front of her.

"Shen? You know how much my family means to me! Let me catch the wolves!" Her voice cracked and I could see the adrenaline was wearing off. "I will not lose them too." Now Lien realized that she wasn't going anywhere tonight. Everyone else caught up to us and were able to calm their panting quickly.

"What was _that_ Lien?" Shifu stepped in immediately and spoke harshly. "When did Ooguay or I _ever _teach you to lose your mind like that?" Crane still had her pinned and Shifu motioned for him to let her go. She jumped up, ran into my wings, and buried her face in my chest. She was sobbing uncontrollably and I just stroked the back of her head and neck to try and calm her down.

"I'm sorry, Shifu. I'm so sorry." She blubbered through the tears. "You _never_ taught me to do that. You taught me to keep my head and pay attention to what's happening around me." My heart almost broke for her. I could tell she was hurting, and I wasn't sure what to do to help her.

"That's right." Shifu's voice was still harsh, but it had a hint of a fatherly undertone in it. "Now, we're going to go back to the palace, enjoy the festival, with all of its fireworks and the gloriousness of the new Tower of Sacred Flame, and wake up in the morning and figure out a plan of action. Sound good?" She sniffled and nodded.

"There's my girl!" I crooned and kissed her cheek. She smiled up at me with adoration in her eyes. "Now let's get back to the city."

"Alright." She mumbled and we took to the air.

"And I thought I could fly fast!" Crane teased and came up on her left side.

"I could always fly circles around you!" Lien called cheering up.

"Oh yea right!" The master countered and took off.

"Race you!" She called to both of us and we rocketed off through the air with similes on our faces.


	5. Chapter 5: Morning

**Chapter 5**

**Morning**

The rest of the night went without a hitch. No wolves, no talk of wolves, no problems whatsoever. I was mortified by my actions that evening and I made it up to everyone buy letting them be the first through the doors to the palace, and later Shen and I showed them another secret room.

We had built a small sun room at the top of the tower and you could almost see the whole province from there. The floor we had covered in rugs and a few loveseats and pillows were scattered around. "This place has more secrets than The Vase of Secrets; said to contain the secrets of every Kung Fu master ever!" Po had exclaimed when we reached the top.

"We like to keep things interesting." I said as Shen and I shared a look. We were both proud that we had helped rebuild our own city, and our own place with its own secrets.

"You always told me that you have to keep me on my toes." Tigress replied from her seat next to Po.

"And you do a good job of it." Shifu complimented. Then the elder red panda left to go look around the city. He had no need to be around his students on this night, and frankly didn't want to be around the mush-fest that would undoubtedly start soon.

"We hope you'll enjoy your time here." Shen told them squeezing me closer to his body. "But if you'll excuse us, I would like to spend a little time with my darling fiancé." He kissed the top of my head.

"Aw. You two are adorable." Viper hissed curled up next to Monkey.

"We try." I cooed and lead the snowy peacock to the balcony. "Hey, Crane, Mantis; you could go out and mingle with the masses. Who knows, you could meet someone." I told the bachelors because I knew they would rather die than stay in the room with the couples.

They hesitated and Shen added, "I would start in the Great Hall." I half laughed and rolled my eyes at him.

"Good luck boys!" I called and took off out the balcony, and to the very top of the Tower. Shen followed suit and settled next to me on the little platform. We sat there for a moment in the full moonlit night. Shen's feathers glowed in an almost ghostly way as I rested my head in the crook of his neck.

Shen inhaled and spoke, breaking the serine silence. "Do you ever wish that we could have been sitting here, like this, twenty-three years ago?"

"Of course I do," I sighed, "But that is not what our destinies meant for us." I didn't move my head but snuggled closer to him. "No matter what _has_ happened, you're here _now_. I'm here _now_, and I always will be." I looked up at him and turned his beak to face me. "Always."

"Promise?" He murmured and leaned down to kiss me. I felt so happy right there, right now. I didn't want to think about my missing family right then, I just wanted to be with Shen and be happy. Thinking about my family would have to wait until morning.

"Promise." I breathed as the kiss broke. "Oh and look what I found." I reached into my robe and retrieved a pair of folded paper lanterns, and a clumsily put together firework. On one of the lanterns was a pair of peafowl who were flying opposite directions and had their necks craned back to gaze at each other. On the other was my and Shen's personal seals painted to look like fireworks. Shen's big brown eyes got wide as he took the baubles from my wings.

"These are our lanterns! And my firework! How did you find these?" He stood and propped the little firework up on firing stand.

"I snuck into the palace about fifteen years ago and snagged them. They haven't left my position since then." I pulled out two little candles as well and lit the lanterns.

"I can't believe you kept these!" He chortled. "You know, I made this for that lantern festival." He turned to me and his face warmed in the glow of the lanterns. He handed me a lighting stick with a little flame at the end. "I was going to bring you up to this very spot all those years ago and let you light this very creation." Shen beamed and lead me over to the fuse.

"I would be honored to light a piece of your handiwork." I touched the flame to the fuse and it sputtered then flared. Stepping back into Shen's wings I covered my ears and watched as the rocket shot a few sparks and zoomed into the night sky. It exploded into the shape of a peacock's fanned tail, and glittered for a while until it faded into Shen's old seal.

"That was spectacular!" I told him as other fireworks followed and twinkled in the black sky.

"Not as spectacular as you." Shen pulled me close to him and squeezed me like he would never let go. "I love you so much, my beautiful lotus." He crooned in my ear.

"And I you, _my_ dear wonderful Shen. And I you."

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><p>Morning came far too soon. The sun came peeking over the mountain tops to warm my feathers and interrupt a peaceful dream. I felt the steady rise and fall of Shen's chest as my mind crept back into reality. I was still tucked under his wing where we had fallen asleep on the roof of the Tower of Sacred Flame the night before. Blinking open my eyes I looked out over the waking Gongmen City. The sun was crawling into all of the shadowy nooks and crannies, and our people were opening their shops and restaurants with humble smiles.<p>

I looked up at Shen, who was still out cold. He had a serine smile on his face and his crest was folded against his head. A few gibberish words floated through his beak as I nuzzled my head up under his chin. "Ten more minutes…" He grumbled in a barely audible tone.

"Shen," I crooned gently.

"Hmmm?"

"Wake up. We stayed out all night."

"We did?" When he opened his reddish-amber eyes I could still see the haze of sleep in his mind.

"We really did." I smiled up at the snowy peacock.

"There's no one I'd rather be here with." We shared a kiss and he rubbed my shoulder affectionately as we watched the sun rise above the mountain peaks.

"This is exactly where I want to be for the rest of my life." I sighed contentedly.

"I couldn't agree more." Shen was going to say more but Bo soared up to us and cut him off.

"Your highness'" She nodded to us.

"Mornin' Bo." I was still a touch lethargic as I returned her gesture.

"Your friends from the Valley of Peace are awake and waiting for you."

"We'll meet them in their suite. Thanks." Shen told her.

"You made sure they were fed?" I asked standing up.

"I tried, but Po insisted on cooking. I can't believe that you didn't smell it!" The little sugar glider rubbed her small, furry tummy hungrily.

"Go on, try some. We'll be down in a moment." I shooed her off the roof and she gladly soared down to the fifth tier. "Po's cooking is to die for. Come on, let's go change into something more casual and you can see what I mean." I took his wing and we glided down to our room, changed into simpler work robes, and walked to the Jade Palace mural. Together we jumped and kicked the tile with a flare of our tails and a few elaborate maneuvers.

"Showoff." Shen teased as the doors slid apart. I stuck my tongue out at him and rolled my eyes.

"Good morning all!" I said as we strutted in.

"Good morning!" They chorused.

"I see you smelled my cooking." Po teased and handed Shen and I a bowl of his famous noodle soup. "Your agent definitely did."

"And it _is_ to die for!" She mumbled joyously from her seat just outside Po's door. She dunked her head back in the broth and surfaced with a few stray noodles on her head.

"That's a wonderful look for you Bo." I snickered as I sat down. Her little tan cheeks blushed and she slurped up the noodles. "So how was the festival for you guys?" Both couples shared a look and smiled.

"What about you boys?" Shen elbowed Crane in a friendly way.

"Ha, well, we did go out and mingle, but Mantis had some sort of mental break down when we walked into a restaurant." He laughed as Mantis shot him look of daggers.

"She was going to eat my head! I had to get out of there!" The insect defended.

"She was flirting with you, not eating you!"

"And if I had stayed any longer I wouldn't be here right now!"

"I'm sure you would have been fine." Viper giggled as Mantis retreated to his room.

"And what about you, Crane?" I turned to him.

"Oh nothing. I just wandered around, and admired the city…" He stuttered. "It was a beautiful firework show." The last words just fell out of his beak, as he had run out of things to say.

"He met a girl!" Mantis called through his door.

"Mantis!" Crane yelled at him.

"What? You picked on me so I pick on you!" He came through his eight inch door and sat down contentedly.

"Well come on," Po insisted, "Tell us about it!"

"It was nothing really…We just talked and walked around." Crane was blushing brick red. The last time I had seen him like this was my last night at the Jade Palace when I had…kissed him…but that was another story. I started blushing started fanning my face with my wing.

"Uh huh." Mantis mumbled, and then perked up. "They sat on the pier and watched the fireworks."

"Ok that's it! I'm outta here." And with that Crane took off through the balcony.

"Oh good job." Monkey snapped at the little master.

"What? He brought that on himself."

"I'll go talk to him." Shen stood.

"Oh no you won't." I stood next to him and set my bowl down. "This is a woman's matter. You stay here and figure out how we're going to catch those wolves. I'll be back soon." I kissed him quickly and took off after Master Crane. He flew incredibly fast, but I was able to follow him because of the Jetstream he left behind. He ducked into a little almond tree thicket, and I followed silently behind him.


	6. Chapter 6: Comfort for Crane

**Ok so this chapter is a bit of a diviation from the plot line, but I felt bad for Crane and had to give him a quick chapter, so enjoy and thanx to all you readers!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

**Comfort for Crane**

"Why does that little pest always have to mess with me like that?" I grumbled. "Sure I met Chi, but she's long gone by now. And I could never love her as much as…" I trailed off and looked over at a pair of sparrows nestled together in the crook of a branch. Sighing I walked over to a shadowy patch of grass and sat down. I was never this emotional; I always kept it together. "Why can't she just see? Why couldn't things be different?" I mumbled.

"Because that would have changed your path." I whipped my gaze to the left. There, floating through the grove as a ghostly spirit, was Master Ooguay.

"Master Ooguay?" I chirped, springing to my feet and bowing in respect.

"Hello Crane." The ethereal tortoise smiled and floated closer. "What is it that troubles you?"

"Nothing master. I just needed a moment."

"Nonsense. Even the trees can see you are very upset. Sit down and tell me what weighs on your mind." The ancient master motioned to a sunny patch of greenery that had a few white petals scattered around it.

"Upset? Ha, I wouldn't say upset," I said and did as I was bid.

"I would." Ooguay was clever, I'll give him that.

"Fine." I smiled. "It's just…Lien I guess."

"You are mad at Lien-Hua?"

"No! I could never be angry with her." I snapped, a little too quickly. The tortoise smiled.

"And why is that?"

"Because…because I think I love her."

"Love is a powerful thing." Oogauy's voice floated through the air like the little, white, almond-shaped petals. "What makes you think that?"

"I could sit here for hours and name the ways. The way she laughs makes my stomach drop. The way she walks makes my legs weak. The way she is so kind to every creature, just makes my heart swell in pride. Even when Lord Shen tried to kill us all, and attempted to destroy China, she found it in her heart to save him from the cannon." I explained. "Ever since the day I met her, Lien took my breath away. I always thought it was love, now I know it cannot be."

"Lien is engaged to Shen, so you are correct in that theory" Ooguay stated the sharp truth.

"I know. I knew I could never marry her. I knew we would never be more than friends," I groaned. "But when I met Chi last night, and we talked and, you know, flirted around, I couldn't stop wishing that it was Lien and I together."

"I understand. There is always that yearning in our hearts for what we wish we had." The ageless tortoise consoled. "But Crane, Lien will always value you as one of her closest and most trusted friends. She loves you too, in a way that isn't as ardent as I know you would have hoped, but in a way that only the closest of friends can love one another. To Lien, you are her brother, and that will never change." I nodded, and it finally clicked.

"You know what? You're one hundred percent right." My heart filled with a warm joy; a humble acceptance. "I have been a horrible friend to her since we arrived; I must make it up to her by helping get the search party started."

""I believe in you my boy. Good luck!" Ooguay nodded and bowed to me as I took to the sky.

"Thank you master!" I called as I burst from the white canopy. As I flew I couldn't help but smile. Ooguay always knew how to make us all feel better, and he had. I would always love Lien, but now I knew I could accept loving her as a sister instead. I dove into a loop and heard the sound of a second pair of wings.

"Crane! Master Crane!" I slowed down to see Lien flying towards me.

"Lien! I'm so sorry for flying out on you guys like that. I just needed a moment to think." I said lamely.

"Did Mantis really get to you?" She asked in her big hearted way.

"Naw. I had the idea to get some ginger for the noodle soup. I was just on my way into town to do that." I was a horrible liar, but somehow the peahen bought it.

"Mmmmm! That sounds amazing. I know we can get some fresh at my farm." She changed course quickly and her wings caught a huffing warm gust. "Race you!" She called as she sped forward.

"You have more energy than any creature I've ever met!" I called and was able to catch the same current. "Don't you ever just fly at a normal pace?"

"What fun is that?" She was still several feet ahead of me.

"None, I guess." I replied with a laugh.


	7. Chapter 7: Showing Off Into Trouble

**Now for the long awaited chapter 7! Once again sorry this has taken so long, but I hope you enjoy it!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

**Showing Off Into Trouble**

It was midafternoon by the time we left Gongmen. Lien and Crane had returned with dirty talons and wingfulls of ginger. Crane had a happy glow about him and I knew my big-hearted bride-to-be had succeeded in making him feel like his old self.

But now we were following Tigress back to the camp where they had found Genji-Feng's feathers. I had suggested that since there would be more sets of eyes we could possibly find a clue to where the wolves had gone with my soon-to-be family. Lien and I were back in our full battle regalia; newly forged Steel Talons (as steel was sharper and lighter than iron), perfectly balanced throwing blades, and razor-sharp bladed staffs. It felt incredibly good to have my weapons back in my wings.

Since that vile swim up from the bottom of Gongmen Harbor the day that Lord Shen was defeated, and losing all of my weapons to the current I hadn't had any. Lien and the Soothsayer had suggested that I keep away from them for a while. At first I had been furious! Was I some sort of foolish child that was being denied his "toys?" Yet after seeing how proud the pretty peahen was when I accepted the weapon detoxification it was easy. I was allowed one small blade though for protection.

Halfway through last year, when the palace walls had been finished, Lien had given me a bundle of throwing knives. They were exactly like my old ones, balance, design, weight and all. The blades have just long enough handles to hide them in my feathers and not cut myself. My wonderful lotus had made them by wing, going off the template of the three of my old ones she had taken from me the day of her banishment.

Anywho, it felt good to be on the hunt again. My brand new Talons hugged my feet and seemed to be begging for me to use them on an enemy when I flexed my feet. _Now Shen, you can't let dark thoughts enter your mind. _I reminded myself as thoughts of how much damage they could inflict on some fool who dared step in my path.

I looked up to see Lien flying point and keeping the best pace with the other master. "This is just like old times!" She called over her shoulder as she dove down and looped back up preforming a spiral _(AN: I know that peafowl are not this good at flying, but again I choose to challenge nature and change a few things_ _;))_ I knew she had felt a little bit cramped in the city after all of those years of freedom in the Valley of Peace. The open air was good for her and I saw a new radiance in her. This is what she was used to; hunting down bandits and rescuing creatures, and I knew she loved what she did.

"Yeah, just try to keep your showing off to a minimum Lien!" Mantis teased.

"A showoff?" I scoffed, "Not my Lien!" She gave me a playful look.

"Then you must not know her that well, Mr. Fiancé, because Lien lives to flourish he feathers." Crane joshed.

"You're just jealous!" Lien circled back to us. "You wish you could fly like me!"

"Oh yea. I wish I could fly like a little peahen." Lien's eyes narrowed at this remark.

"Oh? Allow me to teach you a thing or two, Crane." This was close enough to a declaration of war, that I knew I was about to witness something on the border of crazy and amazing. Both masters took off ahead of the group and perched on a little cliff on the side of the mountain. I glided a few feet behind them and settled down for the show.

"Now Crane, you have a chance to save your pride and back out now."

"Allow me to revert the offer to you, my dear." Crane bowed sarcastically and I had to hide my laughter. Lien crowed her battle cry and rocketed into the sky. Crane followed with a smile and they proceeded to spar. It was the most incredible showing of airborne talent I had ever seen. Sure I had seen acrobats preform at the palace before…but this was different.

I never realized the true beauty that was Kung Fu before now. The way they felt the flow of their inner peace, the fluid motion of their muscles, the beauty of each strike, it amazed me. And Lien! Every move she made, completely took my breath away. I could see that her title as Master Lien-Hua was no accident, it was her destiny.

Soon they landed, panting, back on the ledge. "So now we know who possesses more skill." Crane said.

"Me." They said at the exact same time.

"You?" Lien questioned.

"Of course me! Who's the one who beat the obstacle course at the Lee Da Kung Fu Academy when nobody else could?" Crane puffed out his chest and ruffled his feathers to look a little bigger as he said this.

_Impressive! _I thought. _That academy trains only the best!_

"Nicely done, Master Crane." Lien crooned and stepped closer to him with a seductive look on her face. I felt my feathers rise and my heart clench in anger, as she ran her flight feathers up his chest and neck, then resting them on his cheek. "But do you remember this?" She was inches away from his face and I was about to get up and pull them apart, when she smacked his straw hat off his head and dove off the cliff after it.

I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding, and tried to calm down as I stepped over to the cliff edge. Lien was diving full out after the hat. About halfway to the ground a small ring of clouds and sound burst around her frame.

"She did it!" Crane breathed and I snapped my slowly cooling gaze at him. "She really did it!"

"Did what?" I didn't realize the tone of my voice was so harsh until Crane looked at me strangely.

"The sound barrier. It has been her goal for years to dive so fast that she would break the sound barrier." The spindle legged master explained.

"Oh." I mumbled smoothing my feathers and took a deep breath as I looked back over the edge. Just before she hit the ground she spread her wings and snagged the hat. Then a stiff air current caught her outstretched wings and she zoomed back up the cliff face. Just as she reached the ledge she fanned her long tail and abruptly stopped her assent.

"Did you see?" Lien squealed like a little school girl and hopped around. "I did it! I did it!" She hugged Crane and jumped around then let him go, after returning his hat. Then she ran over to me. I danced around with her until she grabbed the front of my robe and pulled me to her for a very spirited kiss. I was a little shocked and my heart did a curious bit of pounding, but hey, I wasn't about to complain!

"Well hello there!" I said as she pulled back slowly. "Where have you been all my life?"

"Right in front of you the whole time." She smiled in a foxy way and kissed me again.

"Hey you two! Get a nest!" Po called catching up to us. Lien broke the kiss with a smile and turned to the panda with a horrified look.

"Do not enable him." She jabbed a pointer feather at me and I laughed.

"Ohhhh." Monkey, Mantis, Crane, and Po cooed at the burn.

"Aren't we looking for an abandoned wolf camp?" Tigress chuckled.

"Right!" Lien walked over to her and shot me a look. "Where did you say it was again?" She didn't look away from my eyes.

"Over here. It's in a cave." Again we followed her across a few precarious ledges and to the mouth of a large cave.

"Perfect." I whispered and followed the tigress inside. It was dark so we paused to let our eyes adjust.

"Ah Lord Shen, what a pleasure to see you back among your devoted soldiers." A raspy voice crooned from the shadows. "But you know what's funny? You are the one who shall be bowing to us from now on." A torch was lit and the light revealed a mangy looking alpha wolf with a sewn shut right eye and ragged leather armor on his furry body.

"Lang?" I gasped.

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><p><strong>Lang I believe is the name of the Boss Wolf, but I'm not 100% sure. Thanx for reading, now here's your reminder to...REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! hehe XD <strong>


	8. Chapter 8: Confusion

**Chapter 8**

**Confusion**

"Shen, what's going on?" I stepped up to his right wing and looked from him to the huge wolf and back. The wolf looked at me hungrily and licked his chops.

"Nice to see you brought us a meal, peacock." He reached an enormous, grubby paw for my throat and I pecked him hard enough to draw blood. With a howl he jumped back, but not before backhanding me across my face and tearing out little feathers on my cheek from the friction. I yelped and stepped back pressing a wing to my face.

In an instant Shen had the fool pinned to the ground with his Steel Talons on his throat. His tail was fanned and every single one of his feathers quivered with rage. "You even _think_ about touching her again and I _will_ kill you!" He hissed in the wolf's face. I hadn't seen Shen this angry since a long long time ago, and it frightened me. Yet, all the dog did was smile.

"Nice to have you back." When those words entered the air Shen jumped back as though he had been burned. I placed my wing on his back and he took up his stance with the rest of us.

"What are you doing here? Wolves have been banished from this province." I hissed, allowing Shen a chance to organize his thoughts.

"Do you think we really care what you pompous 'upper-class' palace-goers have to say?" Lang said as a few of his soldiers helped him back to his feet. He clutched a paw to his chest where Lord Shen had stabbed him three years ago on the barge. "You have no military to enforce your laws, and the Kung Fu Masters Council is still being rebuilt," He chuckled as we all glared daggers at him. "And these warriors were in the Valley of Peace."

"Well we're here now." Po growled. "And we are hungry for justice!" I rolled my eyes and smiled inwardly.

"Where are my brother and sister?" I asked harshly, looking around at the darkness of the cave.

"Ah yes, the golden birds. We have them held somewhere _safe_." As Lang said that he gave a few of his comrades a funny look and I watched a small group of them run deeper into the cave.

"If you hurt a single feather on their heads, I swear I'll…" I could hardly hold myself back from sounding the attack and destroying my family's captors once and for all.

"You'll what peahen? Look at where you are!" The alpha wolf gestured to the cave. "You think you can beat us in here?" He barked a few commands to his men and our group was surrounded. Tigress shot me a look asking what the heck I was doing, but I just nodded my reassurance. How else would we find my brother and sister?

A few wolves jabbed at us with spears and I hissed at them and fanned my tail making them back off. Then I looked over to Shen. He was staring at the floor and fiddling with the end of his robe like a moon-struck chick. I hadn't seen him this uncomfortable since we were only innocent chicks back in the palace. I wasn't sure what to say with all of these wolves around; I didn't want to provoke their wrath and get us in more trouble. So I stalled my stride and waited for him to catch up. Then I took his wing in mine for a second.

When he looked up fear clutched at my heart for a moment. His red-amber eyes were a raging ocean of conflict. I could see anger, fear, and total and utter confusion storming through his mind.

"Always." Was all I said, and I gave his wing a squeeze. His eyes then softened and returned to normal.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"Ah here we are!" The Boss Wolf bellowed and our group stopped. I looked around and saw that Crane and Mantis had disappeared. I hoped that they had gone back to the palace to get Storming Ox and Croc.

Then I saw the cage. It was constructed like a bird cage, only four times bigger, and it hung out over a seemingly endless drop. In the bottom of the chasm I could see the tips of stalagmites peeking through the mist. But it was what I saw in the cage that made my pink feathers turn almost as red as my father's, and my temper take over for my better thinking.

A feathers-and-bones version of my younger brother and sister looked up at us with fearful expressions. Neither one of their, usually shining and golden, feathers were clean. They looked like they had been tortured, starved, and threatened to the point of death. Bo-Chen almost couldn't stand when they both came over to the bars of their cage to get a better view of us. Their gorgeous green eyes stared at us with glazed over, almost blank expressions, though the twinge of hope could be seen.

"You low life, yellow-bellied, mangy cowards," I was talking quietly, almost inaudibly, as I turned back to Lang. Tigress, Viper, Monkey, Shifu and Po had an excited gleam in their eyes as they noticed my fury, and I could feel them tensing for the battle that would soon take place. My emotion seemed to have rubbed off on Shen because he was like me; furious. The tips of his feathers were a light reddish color, and his eyes now had a deeper red tint to them.

"You _dare_ capture my family? You _dare_ torture them? You _dare_ think that you could get away with this insolence when we have such a small attack force?" My voice rose with each statement and the wolves shot nervous looks at one another. One thing came to their minds when they saw how angry I was, and that was mama wolf separated from her pups. One thing any creature learns if they wish to live is to _NEVER_ get between a mama wolf and her pups. **EVER**.

"Let them go, now." I was back to my quiet yet terrifying voice. A few younger wolves, who still valued their lives, moved to pull the cage to the ledge.

"Stop you idiots! We have them right where we want them." Lang called to them.

"Oh, and where would that be?" Shen growled as a few of his throwing blades slid out of his feathers.

"In a cave, surrounded by my wolves, your only escape cut off, and a cage full of leverage, my _Lord_." He explained bowing low then laughing as Shen only became angrier. I watched nervously as he flexed his pure white wing and prepared to throw the blades.

"I killed you once Lang, for disobedience, and how you survived I don't understand or rightly care. I will kill you again for treason, kidnapping, and torture of my family." My fiancé was now shaking from rage.

"Oh come on Shen! They're not your family!" The huge wolf gestured to the cage of my terrified siblings. "Your family betrayed you, remember?" Lang moved to wrap his arm around the white peacock's shoulders, but Shen cut at him with the throwing blades and he stepped back.

"My family exists in the past, and they cared about Gongmen City; that's why they sent me away." His voice shook and I stepped next to him with blades in my wings as well. I looked at him and tried to offer a comforting glance. He didn't notice.

"No Shen. They hate…"

"ENOUGH!" Shen screamed. "You know nothing about my family!"

"Shen, breathe…" I mouthed. I was waiting for a queue to signal the attack. I could feel tension crackle through the air like lightning.

"You know absolutely nothing about me, my family, or my life. You wolves have threatened the safety of this city for the last time!" Shen threw the blades and hit Lang square in the chest. That was our queue.

I shot a look at Shen who nodded. We both keened our battle cry and turned on our captors. I sent one burly male over the edge of the chasm with a blow from my staff. We listened to him howl until he was cut off by the thud of his body hitting the ground. I flinched but turned back to the battle. I ducked a blow from a few pups and thwacked them both in the ribs with my staff and they cowered back.

Tigress was incredible as usual as she held the least amount of emotion for any of her enemies. Monkey and Viper were on a crushing spree as they sent wolves flying in all directions from various techniques. Po was bouncing several opponents off his big belly and sending them either over the edge or towards one of us to finish off.

Shen and I fought as one being. Our motions were meshed together as though they were only a single thought. I would trip an opponent and Shen would take him out, and visa-versa. It was like we were meant to do this. We finished off a rather nasty group and I was able to meet his gaze and his frowning face softened for a moment. "Good work."

"You too." I was then snapped out of the reverie as more wolves poured in on us.

I was still wondering where Crane and Mantis were when we heard a shout from the mouth of the cave. "We'll seal it off! Get out!" Crane called. Immediately Po and the other masters took off for the exit.

"Come on Shen!" I yelled and took off running with his wing in mine. We dashed through the cave entrance and Mantis lit the fuse to a bunch of T.N.T wedged into the rocks. Then I remembered why we were there. "Bo-Chen and Genji!"

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><p><strong>Now to thicken the plot, haha! I know it seemed like this was a bunch of friendly bonding and such, but NO! I must make it at least a little bit enjoyable for you guys! hahaXD <strong>


	9. Chapter 9: Cave In

**Chapter 9**

**Cave In**

When Lien tried to fly back into the cave I threw her back. "I'll get them. Stay here." I kissed her then turned and zoomed through the cave opening.

"Shen! No!" I heard her scream and I hoped to the creation of fireworks that they held her back. "Put out the fuses!" I could hear her wings smacking at whoever was holding her. Suddenly there was a small boom and the first set of explosives went off. "**AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO CARES THAT MY FAMILY IS STILL IN THERE? **(insert ! and a long pattern of both ! and ? ;))" She screeched. Then the cave started to crumble around me and I heard the younger peafowl scream.

"I'm coming! Just hang on!" I called to them.

"Hurry Prince Shen! The rope is fraying!" That was Genji's voice, and it only made my stomach clench tighter in anger because it was strained and dry. I ran as fast as I could, jumping over wolves that lay on the ground. But I paused when I saw Lang, now dead, on the floor.

"This was for my kingdom." I said and took my blades back. I cleaned them on his dead carcass and returned them to their holsters. After completing my goodbyes to my old general I high-tailed it to the ledge and saw the little cage swaying dangerously over the chasm. Another bunch of explosives went off, and the cage bucked. The rope was severed further, but not all the way.

"Don't let us die Shen!" Bo-Chen whimpered as the cage jumped again.

"I won't." I promised both my sibling-in-laws and myself. Then I dove for the rope, and grabbing it, I started to haul the iron cage to the ledge. I grunted as it ended up being heavier than I had anticipated.

**BOOM**! Off went the third and final set of explosives. The cave was now falling apart. Huge chunks of the roof were caving in on us, and the caged peachicks were screaming and whimpering. Behind me a gigantic boulder smashed into the floor and the ledge started to crack and crumble under my very talons.

"Oh no!" I breathed, and the ledge disintegrated beneath me.

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" Genji-Feng wailed. I pumped my wings and tried to keep us airborne, but the cage was too heavy. We began to fall with the boulders no matter how hard I beat my wings. Far too soon the stalagmites were at eye level and growing.

"Do you know how to open the cage?" I yelled at the caged birds while I tried to make our decent slower.

"Yeah!" Came my reply.

"Then get it open, and when we hit the ground look for a tunnel or something. We have to get out of here!"

"Ok!" After a minute or two I felt the ground getting closer. I also noticed that the boulders seemed to have multiplied. "Shen! Look out!" They called and I looked up to see a panda sized boulder coming right at us.

"Holy sparklers!" I breathed and strained to pull us out of the way. Sadly I wasn't able to get myself completely out of the way and the boulder smashed by my shoulder and broke my wing. I tried to ignore the flaming pain, but that was all but impossible, and we crashed to the ground. I cried out in agony and nearly passed out when the ground met my left side.

"Shen! Come on! We found a tunnel!" Genji and Bo-Chen were able to run over to me and drag me to the opening of a small tunnel.

"I've got it! I've got it! I can walk!" I hissed at them and clutched my bloody wing. Together we ran further down the tunnel towards what we thought would be the open air. We ended up in a big chamber, still trapped under ground. "Ok, sit down and catch your breath." I told them. Quickly I ripped off what was left of my robe sleeve and tied it behind my neck as a makeshift sling. I used my functioning right wing to fold the left one into the silk. I moaned from the pain but refused to cry out.

I looked around and scouted the area. There was a small spring near us and the water was drinkable. "Now for light…" I mumbled and looked towards the ceiling for answers. I could see a small hole that was partially blocked off by soil and other rocks. I would have Genji take a look at that later. I then heard a loud crash and dashed back down the tunnel we came from.

It was completely sealed off. There was no way we would be leaving that way to get out, and I couldn't fly. A sudden wave of emotion hit me. "NOOOO!" I screamed and slammed my good fist against the boulders. "No! No! No!" I just screamed and shouted the word over and over again blaming myself for this whole problem. Soon my fist was as bloody as my shoulder, and my wing was weak from the hardness of the rock I had been hitting.

Anger gave way to utter hopelessness and I slumped against the wall of the tunnel and let the tears flow. "Oh Lien! I'm so sorry!" I sobbed making my shoulder ache. "I tried to be a hero for you, but now I may never see you again!"

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><p><strong>Sorry it's short, but it was good, no? Well I won't know what you think...unless...OF COURSE! YOU REVIEW! XD HAHA!<strong>


	10. Chapter 10: Return to the Palace

**And so the imfamous PrairieRose1017 has returned! Sorry it took so long, but I should have a bunch of chapters upp very soon! Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

**Return to the Palace**

"CUT THE FUSES! HURRY!" I screeched to my friends as I scrambled to get to the pack of gunpowder furthest up the mountain.

"LIEN! It's too late! You'll get blown to pieces if you…" The rest of Shifu's command was cut off as the explosives went off in my face. I was flung back at least forty feet and began falling and spinning uncontrollably towards the valley floor.

Suddenly thin talons locked on my wing and jerked me out of the spiral. I snapped my wings open and was able to catch myself a scant ten feet from the ground. I didn't even notice Crane as I flew as fast as I ever had to get back to the collapsing cave; I could have broken the sound barrier again, but I didn't care. Shen was in that cave with my brother and sister and I was almost helpless. Almost.

I made it to the ledge and changed my course from vertical to horizontal and rocketed towards the cave mouth. I didn't care if I got squished; I had to help my family and my beloved Shen. If we were to die today, then we would all die together.

I made it into the cave, after ignoring the warrior's cries for me to stop, and looked around. Boulders were breaking from the ceiling as though they were crumbs on a loaf of bread. KABOOM! Another set of explosives went off. I looked towards the ledge and saw Shen struggling with the rope that held Genji and Bo-Chen suspended in that ugly cage. "Shen! I'm coming!" I cried but my voice was drowned out by the rumbling of the rock. I spread my wings to fly over to them, but a squirrel sized rock smashed into my right wing, catching it on the elbow and I screamed. It was broken no doubt.

I couldn't quit there, no way, so I took off running like a madman, leaping over wolf carcasses towards the ledge. I watched as my little siblings screamed when the cage bucked violently, and Shen's talons drug across the stone creating a wave of sparks. I was almost there when and enormous chunk of the ceiling smashed into the floor, not breaths from my beak, and it started to split.

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" Genji screamed but I couldn't see him.

"I won't let you!" I cried but I knew they couldn't hear me. I turned and moved to run around the boulder, but the floor gave out. I started to fall and a real fear, a fear of actually dying, spread through my body. Out of instinct I tried to fly, but my wing quickly and angrily reminded me that I couldn't. "HELP!" I screamed and fell. I watched the stalagmites get closer and could see that one was going to skewer me and I started to cry.

Right before peahen met pointed rock strong paws wrapped around me. "Gotcha!" Monkey breathed and we were dragged back to the collapsed ledge. Just as I got my footing, saw The Five standing there, and reached to dry my eyes, a medium sized rock hit me square on the top of my head and my world went black.

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><p>"Grab her and get out of the cave before it collapses completely!" Shifu commanded. Tigress grabbed the unconscious peahen and dashed for the mouth with her partners following closely. The last chance of escape was getting smaller as the warriors from the Valley of Peace zipped through. They sprinted over the edge of the cliff and all sprawled out on the grass of the valley as the rest of the cliff face collapsed.<p>

Panting they sat up and looked at each other. "What do we do?" Po asked, shock written on every feature.

"What can we do?" Viper sighed.

"The only thing we can," Shifu stood. "Get Lien back to the palace for the Soothsayer to tend to her."

"What about them?" Mantis asked pointing to the mountain.

"If they are still alive," Tigress spoke up, "They will be trapped still. I've heard rumors about tunnels in these mountains, but I think all of the gunpowder probably sealed off all the ones on this side of the peaks."

"Maybe Lien knows of them?" Monkey suggested.

"I bet she would. He-Lei used to talk about them too. He told us that he was going to show Lien all the routes and patterns in case she would need to know it one day." Shifu explained. "He always did talk of his family

"Let's just hope that the rock that hit her didn't erase her memory." Crane mumbled.

"When did you start to be the pessimist?" Viper teased the tall bird.

"When I thought I had a brilliant idea and we all ended up getting hurt because of it." He snapped.

"Don't worry Crane. Lien will be fine." Po tried to comfort.

"She's not the only one I'm worried about." Crane looked back to the mountain. He and Shen had become very close friends over the time they had spent together rebuilding Gongmen. The thought of losing his sort of best friend was like the thought of losing a wing!

"Shen's a strong bird. So are Genji and Bo-Chen." Shifu comforted. "And considering they all have had the experience of living with the ever paranoid Lien," The whole group laughed as memories of every little thing that Lien would stress about back at the Jade Palace passed through their minds. "They should be fine."

"But first we have to go and get Lien tended to. Her wing looks pretty bad." Po said after looking at the sleeping peahen's wing. It was bloody and all of the feathers at the joint were stripped away.

"Right come on." Tigress lead the way back to the palace, and Lien was being carried by the ever so cautious Crane. He held her just under her wings and flew at a loose pace so he didn't jostle her broken wing.

Soon they came over the palace wall, followed by a small crowd of civilians who were insanely curious as to where their future king and queen were. "Please, you must be patient." Po, Monkey, and Viper tried to explain to them as they shut the palace gates.

"We will have your answers soon enough." The people were still distressed but they complied.

"Oh no!" The Soothsayer gasped as Crane laid Lien at her hooves. "Where is Shen? One would think he would be out of his mind with worry right now." She smirked and examined the break and the bump on the pretty pink peahen's dainty head.

"He's…" Crane couldn't finish as his throat constricted, and Mantis covered for him.

"Shen got trapped in the mountain with Genji-Feng and Bo-Chen." The little green master said.

"Oh my!" The old goat looked at her feet and took a moment to compose herself. Then she started rattling off orders. "Crane get Lien up to her room and in her nest, then come back and fly me up there" She smiled at the spindly bird, "Easier for me that way. Tigress, Viper, and Mantis help me carry supplies up to the room; Po and Monkey go get us some tea and noodle soup we've all had a long day and need nourishment for the days ahead."

"Yes ma'am!" All of the warriors saluted and took off to complete their tasks. All except Shifu. "What will you have me do Soothsayer?" The elder red panda questioned.

"Help me, of course." She smiled ad Shifu returned the gesture before following Crane up to the seventh tier of the palace. He entered the royal suit and his jaw dropped.

"Wow. These peacocks really know how to live!" Crane sighed after setting Lien in the nest.

"Lien always wanted to return to the palace. I see why now." Shifu said and walked over to the nest. "Here, I'll situate her, you get the Soothsayer."

"Yes master." Crane was back in only a few moments with the old goat in his talons.

"You've trained your warriors well, Master Shifu." She complimented as the rest of his warriors minus the monkey and panda arrived. After treating the various cuts and scrapes on Lien's body the old goat moved on to setting the wing correctly. When she popped it back into place Lien let out a pitiful wail, then sunk back into her dreaming state. At this the whole group winced.

Soon everything was finished and all of the warriors were treated. "You may all go to your rooms. Have a maid bring my food up to me when it is finished. I will stay here and watch over her." The soothsayer explained.

"Just call if you need anything." Crane offered and followed his friends down to their rooms. The rest of the night went without a hitch until about four a.m. when Lien woke up sobbing and calling for Shen. Every warrior wanted to go to her side, but decided that leaving it to the Soothsayer was best. The one line that they all heard over and over was:

"My Shen, my wonderful Shen is _dead_!"

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><p><strong>*sniffle sniffle* I'm not crying... just got a piece of dust in my eye... ;) But seriously! I'm a horrible person! I'm so sorry Lien! Shen will be ok...maybe...Who am I kidding? What kind of story would it be if Shen really were dead?<strong>


	11. Chapter 11: Underground Guest

**Chapter 11**

**Underground Guest**

I'm pretty sure we had only been in the cave for almost three hours, but it felt like the longest, most painful eternity in my life. I had looked around the cave and tried to find any kind of way out, but there was nothing. I had Genji inspect the hole I had spied in the roof and he told me that it was surrounded by rock, with no way to make it big enough to fit through. He was able to poke his head out of it though and this allowed more air and light into the dim chasm.

Both of the younger peafowl were starving and I gave them the small loaf of bread I had stuffed in my robe and they had eaten it in sixty seconds flat. I wished I had more to give them, but I did not. I wasn't really the picture of hope either. My ruined left shoulder caked in blood and my robe stained with the stuff; the broken state of my heart and spirit; and the shouting and pounding on the stone wall of the cave earlier I'm sure had an incredible amount of positive affect on them. Note my sarcasm.

We had drunk fitfully out of the spring and I was able to make myself look a touch more presentable. "There we go." I winced as I tied my wing back up, now cleaned and in the healing process. I really wished I had some thread to stitch it closed like the wound in my side, but, again, I did not.

"We're so sorry about this whole thing Prince Shen," Bo-Chen spoke for the first time. "This is our fault for traveling alone."

"Think nothing of it." I waved a wing as if being trapped in this hellish hole underground was the most natural thing in the universe. "Things like this add spice to life." Then I smiled and sat down in front of them. "And you remember what I told you about calling me _Prince_ Shen?"

They chuckled and returned the smile. "Sure do _Shen_." Genji teased. I tousled his crest and he laughed. I wondered that,_ if_ I ever had a son, if he would be like Genji. Smart, high-strung, thoughtful, ready to do what was needed for the ones he loved. I wondered if my precious lotus was still alive. My heart ached for the turmoil she was probably going through, if she was still alive.

I longed to be wrapped in Lien's wings, to be cooing sweet nothings in her ear about how amazing she was, to kiss her soft beak and feel that warmth in my aching heart again. I could almost feel her head resting on my chest, like last night, as I started to drift off. I was nearly totally asleep when a cheery voice echoed through the chamber.

"Well, what do we have here?" It said. I jumped up, dazed and looked around. On the opposite side of the cave, where I had thoroughly searched earlier, mind you, was an open door in the stone. In the door was a wolfish figure, but far more feminine, and well, white. She was a white wolf, and she was enormous. Lang was at least two heads shorter than her! She was smiling, and her canines gleamed in the moonlight filtering through the hole.

"Who are you?" I snapped drawing my blades.

"Whoa!" She raised her paws, pads up, to me and her smile got bigger. "I don't want to hurt you! I heard the collapse and came to investigate." Her eyes were icy blue and glittered with anticipation. Slowly she inched over to the closed off tunnel and walked down it.

"What do we do Shen?" Bo-Chen asked.

"Wait for now." I whispered back. "She seems alright."

"Alright? Just alright?" The she-wolf questioned with a gleaming smile.

"Well," Genji spoke up, "We sorta almost died in the cave in. Can you blame us for being a bit shell-shocked?" The white wolf chuckled and stepped closer to sniff at us with her wet, black nose. Dogs; what can you do about their strange ways? "My sister and I haven't even seen the open air for almost a week now. Not to mention Shen's wounded, and we're all starving."

At the mention of my name she stiffened and the snowy fur on her neck rose. "Shen? As in Lord Shen?" She growled. I felt a touch of fear wiggle its way into my stomach.

"Lord Shen has perished…" Bo-Chen started; Lien must have sent her a letter about everything that had happened.

"No," I stopped her gently and faced the she-wolf, "I am Prince Shen, formerly Lord Shen. I've renounced the title of Lord in a hope that I can right the wrongs I've committed over the years." I stood tense, ready to try and fight should I have to. But she was just so…BIG! I knew we wouldn't last long should she go feral.

Her eyes seemed to bore through my soul for a moment longer, but then they softened and she started to laugh. My eyes were wide and I looked around to see what was so funny. She was almost rolling on the floor with bouts of laughter. "You should see your faces!" She sputtered. "You all look terrified!"

"What?" I was incredibly confused.

"Never seen a she-wolf before?" She was still laughing.

"No…"Bo-Chen stood as best she could and walked over by me. I placed my good wing around her shoulders to make sure she didn't fall. "But you may be the _biggest_ wolf we've ever seen." Her voice was so weak, it made me furious.

"Biggest wolf you've ever seen huh?" The pure white wolf stood and shook herself. "Who woulda thunk that Sariah the runt, would be the biggest wolf anyone's ever seen?" She said half to herself.

"You were a runt?" Genji gasped and stepped up on my left side. She turned her gaze, which was now warm and friendly, to the young peacock.

"Was and am. If I were to go back to my pack, which isn't going to happen _ever,_ I would be one of the smallest wolves there. Besides the pups of course." She was smiling again and I was starting to think she was a tad crazy.

"Well, now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way, we're trying to escape and get back to my future queen and Gongmen City." I cut off the rest of her story and walked towards the door she had come through.

"Ooooo! Future queen huh? Would she happen to be a little pink peahen with eyes like mine and killer Kung Fu?" She was desperate for conversation, I could tell, but at the mention of Lien I whirled around.

"Where have you seen her? Is she trapped in another tunnel? Did she get crushed?" That possibility broke my heart to say, "Did you…_eat_ her?" At this I sort of winced, but it was a possibility.

"_Eat her?_ Do I look like a psychopath to you?" She stood and glared at me maliciously. "Peafowl are a highly respected race. Why would I _eat_ one of you?"

"I don't know! I'm just trying to think of all of the possibilities!" I shouted at her, flustered. "But you didn't answer the question."

She shrugged and sat down again. "I've seen her flying around. And yesterday afternoon I saw her get tackled by a little crane, who turned out to be one of the Furious Five, then you showed up. Which only means that she is Master Lien-Hua; master of the Seven Scrolls of Stealth, and Savior of Gongmen city. And apparently the future queen of Gongmen."

"How do you know all of this?" I asked as I settled next to her.

"When you live as a hermit in these tunnels, you try and find everything you can to know about the world so you don't go totally crazy." She chuckled and smiled. "I'm Sariah by the way."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sariah. I'm Shen, as you know," I held out my good wing for her to shake, "And this is Genji-Feng and Bo-Chen." Both mirrored my movements and Sariah beamed at the pleasantries.

"We're Lien's little brother and sister." Bo-Chen said, instantly warming up to the snowy she-wolf. "We're twins."

"Nifty! Peacock twins are a rarity! It's a great joy to get to meet you." Then, out of nowhere, a feral growl sounded and we all jumped up, spooked, and looked around. All except Genji.

"That was my stomach." He said sheepishly. "Did I mention that I'm starving over here?"

"Oh of course! Come with me. I'll take you to my camp and get you filled up." Sariah leapt up and took off running down the tunnel.

"Wait for us!" We called and took off after her. I paused for a moment and looked back up at the sky hole.

"I will get out of here Lien. And when I do, I'm coming home as fast as I possibly can." Then I turned and followed my three companions.

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><p><strong>See? I told you I couldn't kill Shen! That would totally defeat my purpose! XD<strong>


	12. Chapter 12: New Hope

**Chapter 12**

**New Hope**

"Shh, calm down now Lien. Everything is fine. You just need to breathe." The Soothsayer held my head in her shoulder as I sobbed for what seemed like a whole day.

"Fine?" I spluttered through the plethora of tears, "Fine? Shen is dead! He died in that cave! I should have never let him come with us!" I blamed myself for this whole thing. I should have gotten to the cave by myself and freed my family that way. Now Shen was really gone.

This wasn't like when I was banished. I knew Shen was still alive then. Even though he turned black-hearted, I knew he was alive. I knew I would see him, living, breathing, and standing before me again. His warm eyes looking at me with nothing but love in them, then wrapping his strong wings around me so tightly that I knew he would never let go.

But now, he was just gone. There was no way he would ever come back. I watched him fall to the bottom of the chasm with my brother and sister still trapped in that horrible cage. I watched him disappear from my sight forever. I hadn't even gotten to tell him goodbye.

"Lien this is not your fault." The old goat tried to comfort. I couldn't even talk anymore. My whole body was racked with sobs. I was shaking on top of that, and I felt cold, so cold. "You have to try and calm down or you might pass out again." She held my shoulders and made me look at her. I nodded like a little school girl and tried to breathe in through my nose and out through my beak. I was getting calmer and could feel my heartbeat slowing down.

Then I started thinking of how the fragile thing would pound against my breast-bone when Shen would lean in to kiss me. The same would happen when he would nuzzle his head in the crook of my neck and murmur words as sweet as the richest chocolate in my ear. I broke into sobs again. "He's gone. He's really gone." I blubbered as the Soothsayer pulled me to her again.

"Shh. Shh." She cooed and just let me shed my broken-hearted tears while she petted my head.

"Lien?" Tigress and Viper had come up to the room to check on me earlier, but the Soothsayer had told them to come back later. I guess this was later. I turned around and tried to dry my eyes with the handkerchief that the Soothsayer handed me. I only succeeded in soaking the kerchief.

"Oh, hey girls." I said in a shuttering voice. I tried to force a smile, but choked on it and forced myself not to break down again. They made their way over to the nest and sat down with me. Both offered a hug and I did cry when they did. "You girls are the best friends I could ask for!" I told them drying my eyes again.

"What am I, chopped liver?" Bo came soring in and landed in the nest too.

"Of course not! I just didn't see you." I almost smiled at the sight of her little face so worried.

"Lien, we have good news." Viper said from where she was curled up next to me. "We think Genji, Bo-Chen, and Shen are all still alive." They had my full attention, and somehow the tears had stopped.

"What?" I breathed considering the possibilities.

"I've heard rumors about tunnels going through those mountains. Are they true?" Tigress asked softly. My eyes snapped open and I gasped.

"The tunnels! Why didn't I think of that before?" I leapt out of the nest, slipped and tumbled over to my closet, ignoring all of the pain that seared through me as I did. I flung open the door and grabbed an old wooden box.

"What's that?" Bo asked as I sat back down with a giddy smile.

"In this box are all of the drawings I made of the tunnels when my father took me through them when I was little. He told me that the tunnels were a place to escape, should one have to, and that I would need to know how to navigate them so that I wouldn't get lost. He took me through the entire labyrinth and showed me all of the possible ways to get in and out. I made maps of them and I know I can still navigate them." I pulled out a few of the drawings and the whole group oohed and awed at the pen strokes.

"Shifu said that He-Lei talked about taking you through them so we thought we would check." Tigress said taking a map in her paws to examine it closer.

"You weren't kidding when you said it was like a labyrinth." Bo said. On the inside of the top half of the box I had glued a picture of the tunnels as a whole and it looked like a ball of tangled silk. They overlapped, weaved through and around each other, and to the untrained eye, they looked like a death wish.

"They really are. But my father knew them inside and out, and he showed me everything. As long as I go with you we should be fine." I was so excited now. Shen could be alive! My heart had pieced itself back together and now I could continue on with my life! "When do we want to leave?"

"Lien-Hua, you get it out of your mind that you're going anywhere today, maybe even tomorrow. Everyone needs some time to recuperate, and you have a broken wing, lest I remind you." The Soothsayer spoke for the first time in a while. She pointed her cane at my wing and I realized that I would not be able to fly. It was in a splint and covered in some foul smelling stuff that felt pretty good where the feathers were gone.

"And all of the tunnels on this side of the mountains are probably sealed off because of the explosion." Viper added.

"Right." I mumbled. Getting over the peaks would definitely be harder now. I was still thinking hard when a soft knock sounded at the door.

"Your majesty?" A small voice said. It was a little gazelle maid and she stepped in carefully.

"No need to be afraid dear," I told her and motioned her over to the nest.

"Are you alright? The whole staff is worried about you, not to mention the whole city. Do you need anything?" I smiled warmly at her. The city was rather fond of us for all that we had done for them, and I had to blink back tears of happiness as she spoke.

"No dear. Please, don't fret about me. Everything will be fine." She deflated a little and I continued, "But if you really want to do something you can make some tea and take it to the fifth floor. I will meet you there soon to collect it."

"Yes ma'am." She brightened and skipped out the door back down to the kitchens.

"Wow. They really love you." Viper hissed.

"I guess they do." I smiled and moved to stand. All moved to help me after seeing my epic failure not moments before but I shooed them back. "I can do it. I don't plan on taking a tumble like that again soon." We all laughed for the first time that day. "Bo, why don't you go tell Po to start some of that noodle soup? I don't know about you girls but I'm _starving!_"

"Aye aye Lien! You don't have to tell me twice!" Bo scrambled out and over the balcony as fast as she could.

"Silly little squirrel." I chuckled, then turned to the girls. "I'm going to change into something a touch less ripped, and covered in blood. After that I would really appreciate it if you could help me get down the stairs and to your suite. I have some explaining to do." Then I examined Tigress' clothing. It too was ripped and looking scraggly. "Oh and here." I stepped over to my closet and handed her a long robe. "I know it's not your style, but it will have to do while we get your clothes cleaned and stitched up."

"Thank you Lien." She said and hugged me.

"Not a problem. After dinner I'll have a few tubs sent up so that we can all bathe, and you girls can spend the night up here."

"It will be like we're teenagers again!" Viper cheered and we all high fived excitedly. It was fun to pretend to be so carefree again. I looked out over the darkening valley and to the mountains that had swallowed my family. _I am coming for you guys. Just try and hang on._

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><p><strong>! Everything's gonna be ok! haha Or is it? IDK! lol Now...here's the Big Burning Question: Are you going to review? XD <strong>


	13. Chapter 13: Sariah's Story

**Ok I'm giving myself the title of "The Updating Queen" lol because I'm on a roll today! haha Anyhow, enjoy the chapter!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

**Sariah's Story**

We followed Sariah for a long while, weaving through the seemingly endless tunnel. I was at the back just to make sure that nothing could sneak up on us or anything like that. I had heard stories of these tunnels, but they were just that, stories. I didn't think that they really could exist.

"How much farther?" Genji asked for the bazillionth time. I rolled my eyes and sighed, but I could understand his impatience. They had been stuck in a cage for almost a week, and were exhausted. At one point along the way Bo-Chen had stumbled and I had offered to carry her, but she had refused, saying she could make it. It made me take a double-take; I thought I was talking to Lien for a moment.

"Not much, little one." Sariah comforted. "You'll love it when we get there though." The huge she-wolf was seemingly full of energy. She hadn't stopped running until Bo-Chen had fallen, and even then she kept up a brisk pace. About ten minutes ago I had reduced myself to begging her to slow down, as both the chicks were panting heavily, and my wing had started to bleed again. She had apologized and slowed the pace.

"Ah here we are!" We came around one last corner and entered another chasm. Sariah walked over to a little cooking fire, but we were stunned. Scattered all over the walls, ceiling, and floor, glittering like gems were crystals. Crystals of every color; every shade of blue, yellows ranging from deep gold to buttercup, reds, purples, greens, you name it, it was in these crystals. They all seemed to glow with a soft light, making it easy to see every nook and cranny.

"This is AMAZING!" Came our simultaneous awestruck reply. "How did you find this place?" I asked.

"When I left my pack, all I knew was that I wanted to get away from them, somewhere they would never find me. So I just bored my way deeper and deeper into the mountain until I found this. It's been my den ever since." She sighed and spooned some of the concoction that was over the fire into some little bowls for us. "Here. There's plenty, so don't feel bad about asking for seconds." She told us giving us each a bowl.

The chicks dove into the bowls, and I gratefully sipped at the soup. It was pretty good. Nothing compared to Po's noodle soup, but it was still very good. "Mmmm." We groaned.

"Thank you." Sariah laughed and filled her own bowl. "I do what I can with what I have."

"This is the best thing, if not the only thing, I've had to eat all week!" Bo-Chen exclaimed returning to her old self.

"I didn't know those ugly dogs had a prisoner, otherwise I would have freed you long ago. For that I apologize." Sariah told them.

"Oh please. All that matters is that you found us now." Genji waved a wing.

"Umm, if I may," Bo-Chen stepped over closer to the she-wolf and settled down, "Why did you leave your pack?" Sariah stiffened and looked down at her bowl. Her eyes, which I had only seen as warm little sky-pools, were now distant and sad. She stirred her soup and sighed.

"Do you really want to know?" The white wolf looked down at the young peahen. Bo-Chen had a precious expression on her face; big brown eyes, long batting eyelashes. It made even my heart melt a little.

"I really would." She said in the sweetest voice ever imaginable.

"Alright, alright! Cut the act." Sariah playfully shoved her and the little girl giggled. "It's sort of a long story…" She rubbed the back of her silvery neck and looked down.

"We're not going anywhere." I teased her, trying to lighten the mood. She did smile her canine smile and continued.

"Well, back in the pack I was born as an alpha female. Top dog, if you will. The only wolves that could tell me what to do were my parents. And, boy howdy did they! 'Don't roll in the grass Sariah!', 'Don't play with the males Sariah, they're no good for you.', and my least favorite, 'Don't hunt Sariah, the Betas do that for us.'" She sighed again. "But that's **not** the life I wanted to live. I didn't want to be handed my food. I wanted to go and catch my own.

"I watched the Betas chase down the prey and kill it with practiced precision. They worked as a close knit team, and, oh, how I longed to be part of it!" We watched as a feral glow surrounded her for a moment, then she returned to normal. "But it was not meant to be."

"What happened, Sariah?" Genji asked settling near his sister. The gigantic she-wolf smiled down at them fondly.

"I ignored what my parents told me, and went on a hunt. The Beta's had secretly trained me to be able to hunt with them. It was my initiation to track the prey that night and lead the chase. I was so excited! My first hunt! I pressed my nose to the ground and found the scent, just like my mentor had taught me, and howled the call to paws. Each wolf gathered around behind me and off we went into the moonlit night.

"We were closing in on the prey when we all heard a strange howl. When we looked around we realized that our small group of about twenty wolves was surrounded by an enemy pack!"

"Oh no!" Bo-Chen gasped. I had made my way over to their spot nearer the fire and had my wing wrapped around the little peahen. Her head was lying on my chest when she spoke.

"Oh no is right! We had been in a brutal war with this pack for a long time, as we both wanted the other's hunting grounds. The alpha male sounded his own howl to attack and soon the snow was stained with our blood. They left me un-wounded though, as a hostage. The next morning, the enemy pack lead me back through the bloody battle sight so I could see the faces of my dead comrades, and pass on the message to my pack.

"We arrived in my camp and my parents had to give up half of our hunting lands to get me back alive. Both were furious. They started yelling and smacking me around until I stood up and fought them back. I wasn't going to stand around and take that any longer. I threw my mother back and clawed my father across the chest. Then seeing the blood on my claws, turned and ran.

"I ran and ran until I came to the Gongmen province and found these tunnels. I knew my pack would never be able to find me here, and here we are." Sariah finished with another sad sigh, and I noticed a few, well-hidden, tears in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Sariah." I placed my good wing over my heart in a gesture of sympathy. She inhaled quickly and I saw the tears disappear. Looking up from the fire she smiled.

"It's not your fault."

"Is there any way we can make you feel better?" Bo-Chen asked, again making me double-take and re-realize that she wasn't Lien.

"Your presence here is enough. Thank you for listening to my sob-story. I haven't ever told anyone, because I'm always alone." Her dainty white ears then pricked up, "Do you want any more soup?"

"Yes please!" Brother and sister chorused holding out their bowls to her. I waved my wing telling her I was full.

"Thank you for taking us in." I told her warmly. "There is only one thing I ask of you,"

"Anything for my new friends." Sariah couldn't seem to get that smile off her face now. She appeared to be sitting taller as well.

"Do you know any way out of here that will take us back to Gongmen City?"

"Of course! I know these tunnels forwards, backwards, upside-down, and inside-out. I can surely find you guys a way out, and back to your future queen." She winked at me and I blushed a bit.

"Hey that's our sister too!" Genji chirped.

"Of course my boy, wouldn't want to forget that." She tousled his crest and we all yawned. "I'm sure you're all tired. Go on, go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Thanks again Sariah." Bo-Chen mumbled and was soon asleep with her head still resting on my chest.


	14. Chapter 14: Rest Day at the Palace

**I am sorry you had to wait a few days for this one, but I've been away from my computer and am using my moms...yeah...so I will be a bit slow this week, but here's a long, fun chapter to get you over for now. TTYL! **

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><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

**Rest Day at the Palace**

"Lien, stop it!" Crane called from far below. I was perched in a tree and was going to test my wing.

"But it feels fine!" I called.

"All you did was sleep three nights! Not drink a magical potion!"

"Come down!" Viper hissed.

"But…"

"For goodness sake," Shifu entered the courtyard and frustration flared in his eyes. "Lien! Get your tail down here! **Now!**" His voice shook with anger and I immediately scampered down the tree trunk. Shifu never got this angry with us. Critical yes. But truthfully angry, no.

"Umm…uhh…" I mumbled when I touched the ground.

"Umm…uhh… is right! What has gotten into you? You have not been yourself lately." Shifu growled at me and smacked my good wing with his staff. I didn't move but took the words without a flinch.

"I don't know Shifu. I guess three years away from the Jade Palace has messed with my head." I said stiffly.

"I should say so." He growled, and thought for a moment. "You are confined to the city for the remainder of the day." He stood in front of me with his spine rigidly straight and his ears pinned back.

"But Shifu! Shen is…" I tired to object.

"Shen is trapped and there is nothing you can do for him if you mess up the healing process in your wing. You were lucky it was only a disjoint instead of a break, and that you were not killed." I hung my head but didn't turn away. I noticed the little red panda soften a bit. "Go and talk to the Soothsayer before the day is out. She may clear you to fly sooner than you think."

"Yes master." I replied and waited for him to dismiss me. He nodded and I walked calmly into the palace, and out into the garden. I started to pace back and forth on the path next to the lotus pond, mumbling to myself. This was the same pond where Shen had tucked that lotus behind my ear all those years ago. "Now, now. Try and keep your mind off him." I scolded myself, though I knew it would be all but impossible.

"You can do this Lien. One day in the city will be fine." One day in the city with Shen would be fine, but knowing he was trapped in the mountain without a chance to escape would probably drive me to insanity before too long. "Just breathe and try to stay busy." I mumbled again. I looked around. Nothing of interest here. Well except the Soothsayer.

I began meandering my way to her hut. Taking my time though, I enjoyed all of the gardeners work. Each and every one of the bushes was trimmed to perfection and the flowers were all in full bloom, emitting magical fragrances. I paused at the far edge of the lotus pond and inhaled deeply. The beautiful flowers' perfume made my eyes roll back in my head in ecstasy and I felt myself swoon a tad.

"Easy there. Wouldn't want you to fall in." The Soothsayer stepped up next to me with a smile on her face.

"Thanks for your concern, but I should be fine." I replied with a smile.

"Of course." She rolled her wise old eyes. "Why don't we take a look at that wing while you're here?" She stepped over to me and I extended my wing to her.

"That would be wonderful." I sighed as she untied the sling and I flexed the muscles. It felt good to get the joint moving. Mainly because it didn't even hurt anymore. The Soothsayer had me move it back and forth, and listened for any popping, grinding or clicking. There was none.

"Looks like to me you only have to rest it for the rest of the day and you're good to go." She said with a beaming smile.

"Alright! I can't wait!" I spread my wings to zoom into the sky but my nurse smacked my good wing with her cane.

"Ahahah. None of that!" The Soothsayer shook a hoof at me like I was a chick stealing chocolate from the treat can. Then she smiled slyly, "At least until tomorrow."

"Thank you Soothsayer. For everything." I placed my right wing over my heart as a showing of gratitude.

"Not a problem, my future queen." She nodded and stood with her cane directly in front of her. "Now try and keep busy for the remainder of the day."

"I will try my absolute hardest." I winked at her and walked back into the palace.

I waked up tier by tier to try and find something, anything to do. There was nothing.

Eventually I made it to the fifth tier just as Crane was flying up. I didn't notice at first and was lost in admiring the mural. I was staring at the cliff beneath the Peach Tree of Wisdom where I had painted myself with Shen's seal over my heart. I sighed and remembered the sound of Shen's heartbeat when we woke on top of the Tower of Sacred Flame not so many nights ago. I missed him so much; it was painful.

"I'll be out of here soon, my love. Then I will find you and we will be married. Finally. And Bo-Chen you will be my maid of honor, and Genji you will stand by Shen after you give me away of course." And so I went on describing how the wedding will be as my heart ached to be telling it all to the ones I was talking about.

When I was finished, Crane silently stepped up next to me and said quietly, "Sounds like a wonderful affair." I started and flinched back.

"Oh Crane! It's just you." I breathed. He chuckled and ruffled his feathers.

"Yup, just me." He smiled and his hazel eyes glittered.

"What are you so happy about?" I grinned.

"Oh, I'm just having a good day off." He was still smiling in a goofy way.

"Alright spill. What did you do?" I teased him and he led me over to the terrace.

"You remember that girl Mantis mentioned I met the night of the festival? Well," He trailed off and I turned to him.

"You spoke to her again?" I squealed like a little girl.

"Yea! I found out that she works as a florist downtown and I sorta asked her on a date tonight!"

"You did! Oh Crane! I'm so happy for you!" I hugged him tightly with my good wing. "What are you gonna do?"

"Well I was thinking of taking her on a walk along the pier, then maybe taking her to the roof?" He asked sheepishly and looked upwards.

"Go for it!" I couldn't stop smiling now. "Really. Anything you need, just ask."

"Thank you Lien. You're the best friend I could ask for;" Crane paused and added, "Shen is lucky to have you." I sighed and looked at my feet.

"If only he was here to tell you what he thought of those words." The blanket of sadness returned.

"Hey," The other master placed his wing under my chin and turned it to face him again. "We'll leave tomorrow to go and look for tunnel openings on this side of the peaks. Just stay out of trouble until then, kay?"

"Ok." I mumbled and hugged him again playfully. "So what the heck is everybody doing?" I wondered aloud.

"Well, let's see. Po, Tigress, and Monkey went back to the mountain to look around for tunnels. Viper and Mantis took over for your class today," Each of the masters had been taking shifts with the kids so that they didn't get too soft while I was on the Soothsayer's healing list. They had been ecstatic! I guess they would be when the greatest Kung Fu minds in all of China had agreed to show them their secrets. "And I've,"

"Been wooing flower shop girls." I teased. Then I squealed when he pinched my shoulder and started chasing me. "Crane! Crane stop it!" I shouted and sprinted down the stairs. He soared in front of me and I jumped over the last bit of the banister and ran for the next set of stairs. "Cheater! You know I can't fly!"

"Exactly why I am flying." My friend called from above me. "Remember Shifu's mantra?"

"How could I forget?" I replied and we recited it together while pausing to spar. "Take your enemy's strength and use it against him." I grabbed his wing, flipped him and, kicked him gently towards the wall. Gently would be compared to my normal rib snapping kick that could drop a full grown wolf to his knees in an instant. Then I sprinted down the next two flights of stairs before Crane caught me again.

We were now on the second floor and not too far off the ground now. "You're not getting to the garden." Crane stood in front of me with his wings spread out menacingly and his eyes narrowed with a villainous grin on his beak. The garden had subconsciously become our "safe point."

"How much are you willing to bet on that theory, Master Crane?" I crooned also feeling villainous.

"Enough to get you back to your right mind, peahen." I rolled my eyes and feinted right then dove left zipping past him and to the balcony. I stood on the rail and watched him run over.

"One more step and I'll jump." I was full out acting now, as my voice shook with false anger.

"Lien…" Crane brought his wings up in front of his face. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Stupid huh?" I cocked my right eyebrow and smiled, "How's this for stupid?" I leapt off the rail and spread my long tail to glide down and across the garden. "Woohoo!" I cheered. This was the closest I had come to flying since waking up three days ago, and it felt amazing!

"Mistress?" Bo came out of nowhere and ran smack into my face.

"What are you doing?" We asked simultaneously.

"I was just flying, what were you doing?" Again together.

"Aren't you banned from flying?" Bo chided.

"Aren't you supposed to be on patrol?" I snipped back to have the last word.

"Well, umm…" Bo looked down. It was then we realized we were falling out of the sky, right above the lotus pond. A loud scream flew out of both of our mouths as we broke through the still surface of the pond with a huge splash. I touched the bottom with my talons and shoved off to rocket to the surface. I reached the air and gasped. My robe was soaked, not to mention that my feathers were plastered against my body. Bo crawled up on shore and just lay in the sunshine.

"Can we please not do that again?" The little tan sugar glider panted.

"As you wish." I exhaled.

"What was that?" Crane nearly screamed landing by my head.

"Well…uh…I was trying to get away from you, and I've seen Shen glide like that a lot, and I sorta thought it would work?" I squeaked.

"Well it didn't! You could have hurt yourself again!" The ever chivalrous master helped me to my feet. Bo stood as well and shook herself. She fluffed up like a little furry firework as she did and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What? Why don't you try keeping your fur under control in this weather?" She snapped as I covered my beak with my wing.

"First off, I don't have fur. I have feathers." She stuck out her little pink tongue at that and I laughed again, "And two I will have to agree that the weather has been pretty warm and humid for this time of year." I shivered though from a breeze that gusted through.

"Come on. We need to get you warmed up again." Crane wrapped his wing around me and lead me towards the palace door.

"Do you think you could fly me up, please?" I asked like a child and batted my long eyelashes. Crane smiled and chuckled softly. I tucked my wings close to my body and he gently lifted me off the ground. After only a few moments of flight I was back in my room.

"Here you go." Crane stepped towards the balcony.

"Thanks Crane, for everything today. You knew exactly what I needed."

"Anytime. I had to do something to keep you out of trouble." He smiled.

"Ok enough out of me. Go get yourself a girl!" I shooed him off the balcony and he flew out over the city happily. I stripped off my wet robe and wiggled into my night clothes. I looked at a little painting that Shen and I had done of the two of us.

"Tomorrow Shen. Tomorrow, I'm going back to those mountains and I'm going to find you." Then I kissed the painting quickly and drifted off into sleep.


	15. Chapter 15: Curious Night

**Chapter 15**

**Curious Night**

For the past three days our little group had spent time recuperating. We awoke the first morning to steaming bowls of the pure-white she wolf's soup in our wings. After downing the contents of the bowls and gulping down water Sariah had brought up from the spring, she had set to work on cleaning our wounds. Genji and Bo-Chen only had a few scrapes and bruises, and burns; the wolves had tortured the poor teens. I had made a solemn vow to myself to never EVER resort to such a heinous crime again in my life. It was just too wrong.

Then Sariah moved on to me and my ruined carcass. There was really nothing besides my poor left side. After cleaning out all of the dirt and grime we had discovered that my shoulder, thank sparks, was not completely broken. It was torn up pretty bad; as in most of the skin and feathers were gone, and in some places we had been able to see the barely cracked bone.

"Sheesh! That looks a bit ugly." Sariah had commented after Genji looked at it and fainted. After setting Bo-Chen to the task of waking him up, she had grabbed a hooked needle, and some thread she had acquired (through secret means, she told us with a wink), and stitched me right up.

Now I was feeling pretty dang good. Sariah had allowed me to flex the muscles and move my wing around a little so the joints didn't get stiff. Although she had told me that I would not be able to fly until weeks end. Even then it would depend on how well the stitches did their job.

Our unexpected savior had turned out to be a very helpful creature. She knew all about medicine and healing; in that respect, Sariah reminded me of the Soothsayer. Her wisdom of which herbs were needed, where, and knowledge of anatomy had come in very handy. Besides that she was a great cook, a wonderful survivalist, and an overall shining presence deep down in those stone catacombs.

There was not a single time on our trek through the winding labyrinth that she was down. Always moving and always lighting the way; that was this slivery canine. It also appeared that she didn't sleep very well because of all her energy. Several nights I had woken up to the sound of her pacing, but tonight I was going to ask her about it.

"Let's see. We have passed these three tunnels and they have all been sealed off. This one here we'll check tomorrow and…" She was mumbling to herself and drawing on the cave floor with a charred stick.

"Sariah? Are you alright?" I had gently laid Bo-Chen's head on her shoulders and stood to talk to the she wolf. The little golden peahen hadn't stirred, but fluffed her feathers and snuggled down again with a sigh.

"Oh Shen!" She jumped when my Steel Talons clicked on the floor. "Yes I'm fine."

"And for some odd reason I don't believe you." I smiled and looked at her map. It looked like a bunch of scribbled lines, and only made my head spin, so I looked back to her white face.

"Why wouldn't you?" She looked at me with glazed over icy blue eyes and a calm smile on her lips. "I've never been able to sleep well. I was born to be a hunter, where I could use all of my energy hunting during the day, and really sleeping at night. A feeling of accomplishment wrapped around my shoulders."

"Hmm. Sounds like the heavens had different plan for you." I stroked my whiskers thoughtfully. "The same has happened to me." I chuckled. Then a spectacular idea hit me like a ton of bricks. The whole cave seemed to get brighter as I turned back to my snowy companion. "I have an offer for you, Sariah."

"Yeah?" She shook her long white fur and stood.

"Would you be willing to come back to Gongmen City with me?" I sat across from her and locked my eyes with hers. She looked surprised.

"Well, I don't know… I've never been a city-type dog…" Sariah hesitated.

"Here's my offer. Lien and I are working on rebuilding our army, as we basically have none right now. We need a general. We need a spark like you, with boundless energy and an iron will to get us started." I explained.

"You have my full attention now." She said eagerly with her soft ears pricked forward and a gleam in her eyes.

"Lien and I would do it ourselves, but there is just so much that we must take care of before we can stop and think about armed forces." I explained.

"Your coronation for one, and your wedding for two." Sariah punched my wing lightly.

"Well yes, but we have to think about the protection of our people before all of that." I was blushing a bit and pushed any tender feelings away from my mind, for the moment, so I didn't break down. "What if an army came over the mountains to invade us right now? We would have no way to protect our people."

"Aww, don't think about that." The huge white she wolf chided. "Thinking dark thoughts only brings bad things." I could feel her trying to change the subject.

"What do you say? Will you be our general?" I asked before she could.

"I don't know. I've lived in these caves for so long… I haven't even seen any creatures, or sunlight for that matter, until now." This would be the only time I had ever seen Sariah seem unsure. Even going through the tunnels she never second guessed her direction, but now she was a touch different.

"I'll let you think it over." I told her and stood. "Just don't forget about it." Then I thought for a moment after she sighed sadly. "I know Lien would love to meet you." I knew my lotus would. Those two would get along so well, I could just see it.

Sariah laughed and lay down. "What?" I asked

"Tell me about her. You've put it off long enough." Sariah teased. She had been incredibly curious about Lien when I had first mentioned her, but I had been a bit timid about talking in detail about my fiancé until now.

I half laughed and smiled. "What do you want to know?" It was a vulnerable question, but I trusted Sariah.

"How did you meet exactly? That's how a good story always starts." She snuggled down and looked up at me sleepily.

"Ha. I remember it like it was yesterday." I sighed and felt my mind take me back in time. "I was a ripe young peacock, about sixteen, when one day my mother told me that she would be going out that afternoon to bring a new maid to the palace. I didn't really care until she told me that she wanted me to be there, when she returned, to meet the new addition to the staff.

"I had purposefully planned on being absent from anyplace near the palace when she returned and went to talk to my friends in the wolf barracks. Lang, a guard-in-training, and I were always sparring and teaching each other all of the things we were being taught in our separate lessons. That day we ended up doing nothing but spar with each other for hours. What we didn't realize was how long we stayed in the garden."

"Uh-oh." Sariah moaned with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Yeah." I laughed nostalgically. "I remember the exact look on Lang's face when my mother called to us. 'Shen! I'm back!' My mothers' strong voice had drifted over the gardens to our ears and we had instantly frozen. I remember I had been in midair, trying out a new maneuver, when the voice hit me. Because of my wings being in their awestruck state, I had ended up face down in the dirt when my mother made her way over to us.

"'Shen? What are you doing?' Her brown eyes had a concerned look in them when I stood and brushed off my robe and feathers. I had tried to explain that I was training, but Lang was long gone. The queen had just laughed at me, but there was a light giggle that came from behind her that really caught my attention.

"'This is the new maid I told you about my son,' I remember my mothers' words and actions so well." I explained trying to show my listener, so she would understand. "She had her tail spread, but when she mentioned the maid she lowered it." I showed the she wolf and she nodded.

"And there, standing behind the curtain of feathers was the most beautiful peahen I had ever seen in my life. I don't remember my beak falling open, but Lien tells me it did. 'This is Lien-Hua. Her father is the late Master He-Lei form the Jade Palace.' After that I heard nothing of what my mother said. Lien seemed to glow as flower petals from the cherry tree we stood under drifted around her sleek frame."

"Wow! You two really had it going since all those years ago. I heard rumors but I never believed it after seeing a village you, well Lord Shen, destroyed." Sariah sat up to comment.

"We really did. But you didn't let me finish." I smiled at her and she stuffed her fluffy tail in her mouth so as to not interrupt me again. I chuckled. "So after my mother smacked my upside the head to get me out of my stupor, Lien introduced herself and bowed to me in the way that maids were supposed to; a deep bow at the waist, so her pretty beak almost touched the ground, right leg pointed forward, the same wing across her chest, and her tail fanned as a showing of respect." I demonstrated again.

"'The pleasure is all mine.' I had replied after taking her wing in mine and kissing it as I would to a regal hen. 'As you know I am Prince Shen, and I guarantee this is not the last we'll be seeing of each other.' I told Lien after snagging a flower from behind me and giving it to her. Then I had mimicked her deep bow as she held it up to her beak and batted her sparkling blue eyes at me.

"Throughout this whole display my mother had beamed as though she knew this was going to happen. Seems the crazy old hen knew what she was doing." I laughed as I looked up to see Sariah's eyes become round, and a childish look came to her face as she raised her paw to gain permission to speak. "Yes?"

"That was beautiful!" She sighed after spitting out the last tufts of her tail.

"Thank you." I looked over my shoulder to see Bo-Chen shivering on the stone floor. "I had better go to sleep now though." I tilted my head to the little hen.

"Right." Sariah winked. "I'm glad you were able to have such a wonderful partner in life." Then she snuggled down into her long fur. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Night." I murmured as I wrapped my wing around Lien's little sister and she stopped shivering.

"Night."

* * *

><p>Far above our sleeping friends' heads; a numerous pack of enormous black wolves were making their way over the mountain. Within their black pelts one could see a group of white furred dogs; merely thirty of the former great Snow Pack that ruled this side of the mountains. They were trapped, held prisoner in their own hunting lands buy this group of wolves that claimed they found the long lost alpha female Sariah.<p>

"Why do you believe them?" A young male hissed to the alpha female. "We all know that Sariah is dead."

"Don't speak so. There is always a chance that she survived all of these years, and we need her back." A beta female growled at the impudent male. "Look a Talon and Chase. They are getting too old to defend us anymore." She tilted her head to the battered looking alpha pair. Both were limping and walked with their heads down.

"Exactly why we need to appoint a new leader now! Not wait for a rebel she wolf who probably couldn't help us if she really _is _still alive." He replied. The beta female growled deep in her throat and the fur on her neck stood on end.

"Our alphas have never steered us wrong! You have no right to speak out in such a way!" She tensed to jump on the stupid pup but a large black paw came out of nowhere and caught her across the face. She yelped and backed into the protection of her pack to lick the wounds.

"I told you all I wanted silence, and I will get silence. Even if I have to kill every one of you to get it." The alpha male of the Black Moon Pack growled to his captives.

"If you want to even touch one of my pack again, you'll go through me." Talon, the Snow Pack's alpha male bristled and growled in the other males' face.

"Talon, your pack is broken." The black male laughed. "The ones that aren't dead are only warring amongst themselves. Soon there will be nothing left of the former Snow Pack and we," He gestured to his pack which had stopped to watch this display, "Will rule these mountains, and the entirety of the Gongmen province."

"You will never be able to take the city. The peacocks have a great army; you cannot compete with them." Talon countered.

"Ah, you naïve little snowflake." The jet black male chuckled. "The peacocks of old _had _a great army. But since Lord Shen was driven out, and took most of their military with him, they've had none. The city is completely un-protected. Gongmen City is mine for the taking." Talon deflated and stepped back.

"Why? Why would you attack those innocent creatures? They've done nothing to wrong you." Chase stepped up next to her mate to speak.

"No, but their city will make me the most powerful alpha male in all of China. If they must die for me to get what I deserve, then they will die. Gongmen will be mine."

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry these past two chapters have been a little slow but the action is about to reach out and grab you. And it's gona be good mind you! XD<strong>


	16. Chapter 16: UhOh

**Chapter 16**

**Uh-Oh**

"Lien! Lien-Hua wake up!" Crane came zooming in through my window just as I was changing.

"Stop!" I called to him.

"What?" Then he realized the situation and turned brick red.

"Turn around and face the window. Don't move." After instructing the horrified master, I jumped into my patched robe, then moved my shade back into position. "Ok, you're good. What's wrong?" I asked walking over to my weapons trunk and pulling out my blades and Steel Talons. I sat down to put on my Talons, but it was then I realized a female crane was standing on the balcony. Her feathers were a creamish white from her middle to her legs, and from her middle to the top of her head was cornflower blue. "And who might this be?" I winked at Crane and walked over to her.

"Oh your majesty," She bowed deeply, "My name is Chi. I work as a florist in the city." Her voice was soft, but strong in its own right.

"Pleased to meet you Chi. I am Master Lien-Hua, but I am not the queen of this city, yet." I smiled at my own cleverness. "But even when I am, call me Lien."

"Yes, your majesty." I shot her a playful look as she bowed again. "Oh, I…I mean Lien." We both laughed as she tried to hide her blush as Crane wrapped his wing around her.

"She's the top florist down there, and she specializes in weddings." Crane pulled her closer to him and kissed her cheek. Chi giggled lightly as he did.

"Aww! You two are so cute!" I sighed and returned to putting on my Steel Talons. "But before you two get totally lost on me, what's wrong?"

"Oh yes!" Crane soared back over to me. "We have a problem. As in a big, huge, really really bad problem." I could feel urgency radiating off of the spindly crane.

"What is it?" His emotions were starting to twist at my gut, and I was feeling very scared.

"Tigress' patrol returned just this morning, and truthfully I should be letting her tell you this instead of me…" Crane trailed off as I sprinted over to the balcony, spread my wings and dove down to the fifth tier.

"What did you find Tigress?" I asked before I even landed. Everyone turned as I soared in with the breeze and Shifu stepped out of his room looking tense.

"Wolves." Tigress and Po answered together.

"Wolves? They were all crushed in the cave in." I was confused.

"Not those wolves. These were **way** bigger and there were about three times as many." Monkey explained.

"Bigger? The only wolves around here were the pack that was destroyed in the cave in." I racked my brains for a possible answer, but came up with nothing. Oh how I wished Shen was here! He would know what was going on, and how to take care of it.

"Lien, have you ever heard stories about the Black Moon Pack?" Shifu asked me. I looked at him, confused.

"Black Moon…" I thought for a moment, then I remembered an old ghost story my father had told me when we were in the tunnels. It had been about a terrible blood-thirsty pack of huge jet black wolves, who held no mercy in their hearts for anyone who stood in their way. All they did was go around and take whatever hunting land they could from weaker packs. They had done this for hundreds of years until the Snow Pack, a group of pure white wolves sent by the gods to liberate the abused people, arrived and put an end to their reign of terror.

"My father told me stories about them, but they're just that, stories. The Black Moon Pack isn't real." I explained.

"Look." Shifu lead me to the east balcony so I could see the mountains. There, coming over the peaks like fat black beetles, were the enormous wolves of said pack.

"Their coming for the city Lien." Tigress stepped up behind me.

"What? Why?" I gasped.

"I heard them talking about control, and how they would be the most powerful pack in all of China if they could overthrow Gongmen." My fellow master informed me.

"Don't they think we still have an incredible army?" We had tried our hardest to keep our lack of forces silent to the rest of the world.

"No. The alpha male knows that you are powerless. He's coming with full force, and he doesn't care what, or who, suffers. All he wants is complete control of Gongmen City."

* * *

><p>"Up here! Come on guys! I think I found it!" Sariah was full out sprinting ahead of us. After we had woken up that morning Sariah had, as always, breakfast ready for us. I noticed that the three of us were becoming rather plump from the nutritious soup. I didn't know where she got everything that she put in that cauldron but whatever it was, we couldn't seem to get enough of it.<p>

After breakfast we had placed our bowls in her cooking pot and off we went down the tunnels again. We had only been going for a few minutes when we came to a steep up-hill incline. Sariah had dropped to all fours and began to run. Now we were struggling to keep up with her. Genji was doing the best, as he was right on her snowy white tail. Bo-Chen was only a few steps behind him; while I was struggling because my wing had started to throb.

"What exactly did we find?" I called up to Sariah.

"Your freedom!" Our guide called back, and a new surge of energy hit me and I smiled. I dashed ahead of both of the teen peafowl and was neck and neck with the silvery she wolf. Wisps of fresh air wafted down the tunnel to meet my nose. I could see speckles of sunlight dotting the stone. The rush of a little creek greeted my ears.

Pictures of Lien's pretty face flashed through my mind as I thought about how she would react when I returned to the palace. I couldn't wait to run up to her and wrap my wings around her and hold her as close to me as I could. I would never let this happen again, not as long as I was still breathing. Now I could see the end of the tunnel!

All of the sudden, though, my feet were taken out from under me and I fell face first on the stone. I looked back to see Sariah dragging me back into the shadows. "What in the name of fireworks are you doing?" I nearly screamed at her.

"Shut up! Listen!" She hissed at me and I tried to catch my breath. When my panting finally slowed down I could hear the scuffle of paws just outside the entrance.

"What are you doing, mangefur?" A gruff voice said from above.

"I thought I sniffed something, fleabrain. Plus I'm starving." The second voice was wiry and higher pitched. Then we could hear the sound of a dog sniffing around the tunnel entrance. Bo-Chen gasped, but Genji slapped his wings over her beak before she could scream. The sniffing paused. "Did you hear that?" The same voice asked.

"Yeah. It sounded like a little snack." The first voice purred and we heard the first dog join the second at the mouth of the cave. The sniffing began again and I watched in horror as their black noses poked through the cover of vegetation. My heart was pounding so hard I just knew the hounds could hear it, as I tensed to fight them.

"You two!" Another voice, further away, called. I could picture both of the dogs pause and look back. "Let's get a move on. Rafael wants to be at Gongmen City by noon."

"Sir yes sir!" The voices agreed and we listened to them pad away. We waited for a few more moments and collapsed on the tunnel floor.

"Oh…my…gosh!" Genji panted. "We almost just died!" His tail fanned out as he finished his last sentence. I chuckled and ruffled my own feathers after feeling a chill.

"I hate that feeling." I told him with a smile. The young peacock smiled back and stood.

"I almost screamed." Bo-Chen murmured miserably. "I almost gave us away." She was curled up on the floor near Sariah's feet and tears brimmed in her big brown eyes.

"Almost would be the key word there my dear." Sariah crooned. "Those fleabrains wouldn't have been able to get past us anyway. All they wanted was an easy meal, not a full out fight." She sat down and stroked the little hen's back to get her to calm down.

"Don't worry about it little one. I was about two seconds away from screaming myself. We'll be home soon." I tried to comfort her as well, and to my great shock she ran up to me. Wrapping her wings around my neck and burying her head in my chest she started to cry. I looked around to see if I was dreaming or something; I wasn't. Then Sariah motioned for me to hug the little hen back, so I did. "Hey, hey. Just calm down ok? We're all fine." I crooned in her ear, and stroked her head and neck the way I had for Lien when we caught her in the bamboo thicket.

"This is so scary Shen," Bo-Chen blubbered. "What if they come back?"

"Then I will fight them and make sure you get home to your sister." I held her shoulders so she had to look me in the eye. "We're so close now. You can't give up on me, ok?" I asked her.

"I will try." She murmured.

"Try isn't good enough." I told her softly. "I have to have you behind me or I may not be able to go on." I smiled and reached to wipe away her tears.

"Ok. I will be brave; just for you." She mustered a grin and I hugged her tightly. "I love you uncle Shen." She said so only I could hear her. I smiled and had to blink away a few tears of my own.

"That's my big girl!" I told her as we both stood again. Then I noticed Sariah, and how nervous she looked.

"Sariah, are you ok?" Genji asked her coming out of the shadows.

"No. We have a problem on our paws." She looked up to us and re-remembered we were birds. "Or…uh…wings as the case may be." Then she looked back at the floor as though it contained all of the answers.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You heard them say the name Rafael right?" We nodded. "Rafael is the name of the alpha male of the pack that killed my beta squad. He's still alive."

"Oh no!" The young peafowl gasped.

"What should we do, Sariah?" I asked her and peeked out of the curtain of vegetation. All of the wolves were gone, with a huge trail of tracks left behind. "Their gone. Can we leave the cave?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course. Come on." Our snowy white guide led us into the sunshine. All four of us breathed in deeply, taking in huge lung-fulls of the glorious fresh air.

"Yes!" Genji and Bo-Chen pumped their wings and flew around in tight circles. "this is the best!" Genji crowed.

"Shh! They're not that far away!" Sariah called. "I can still smell their putrid stink." Her long white fur gleamed in the sunlight as she sniffed the air again. Then her face contorted in confusion as she sniffed again. Then she pressed her face to the ground and sniffed around.

"What on earth are you doing?" Bo-Chen asked as they landed again.

"Tracking." Sariah said between sniffs. "I smell…*sniff* I smell…*sniff* My pack!" With a small bark Sariah took off over a little rise.

"Wait for us!" We called and followed her over three more little hills to a big peak. As we came over the peak we gasped. Standing in the valley, glowing in the sunshine like walking snowdrifts, was a whole army of white wolves like Sariah. "Holy sparklers!" We breathed and looked to Sariah. She smiled at us sheepishly.

"I told you I had a big pack didn't I?" She asked. She looked so happy to see her own kind again.

"Actually you failed to mention that fact." I told her.

* * *

><p><strong>Ok, so the action is coming. It's gonna be good, but I'm struggling with ideas, so it could be a slow process...maybe... Sorry for the cheesy title for the chapter too... I was trying to hurry and get it up. This is getting so deep, and a touch scatterbrained (if it's confusing, just let me know and I'll try to fix it to clarify) and my mind is going like 90 miles an hour so yeah. Hope you like, and REVIEW! Getting reviews let's me know how I'm doing and what ya'll want to read! Come on! XD <strong>


	17. Chapter 17: A Plan of Attack

**Chapter 17**

**A Plan of Attack**

"Is that her?"

"I thought she was dead!"

"Talon will be so happy!" These and many more words created a small roar throughout the pack. To quiet them Sariah howled softly and the valley became silent again. A large male, seeming leader of this group stepped forward.

"Is it really you? Talon and Chase's pup?" He asked in a gruff voice. Sariah nodded, and turned to address her fellow wolves as we watched in awe.

"Snow Pack! I am Sariah. I am the rebel female that disappeared many years ago. I've been living in this mountain since I went into hiding. But just recently there was a conflict with a lesser pack and my new friends were trapped in there with me. I never planned on returning to the surface, but these birds behind me gave me a reason to believe you would forgive me.

"I am truly sorry for what I did and I only want to right my wrongs. As much as it kills my pride to admit, I missed you guys." She smiled as the pack laughed. "But now on to more important business; where are my mother and father?" She called.

"You don't know?" A young she wolf called.

"In case you didn't hear me earlier, I have been living _inside_ a mountain." Sariah chuckled in a good-natured way. The pup sat down and tried to hide among the pelts of her pack.

"They've been captured." Another voice called out.

"By Rafael and the Black Moon pack." The leader male told her. "Your clan has been reduced down to a select few. Raphael thinks that you have been hiding in Gongmen City and has told your parents that he has found you and will kill you if they don't comply with his every command."

"No!" All three of us stepped back as we watched, the normally calm and collected, Sariah bristle as rage filled her. She bared her teeth and I watched her eyes narrow into icy slits. "Rafael will pay dearly for this."

"Sariah, if I may," I stepped forward to stand by her side and the teens followed, right on my tail.

"Who is this?" The burly male asked suspiciously.

"This is Shen, Genji-Feng, and Bo-Chen. Their sister, and his fiancé, is in the city right now, completely un-aware of what is coming for her. Shen is pretty good when it comes to these matters, and he knows Gongmen City better than we do." We each nodded our heads as she introduced us.

"Oh, then continue." The male said.

"Right. First off, how are there so many of you? I thought you were just a single small pack." I asked Sariah.

"There are many clans within the Snow Pack and each has their own territory. We like to keep our forces spread out, and secret, so that if something like this happens, we are able to fight the Black Moon Pack, as they are few and we are many." The male explained. "It's been our destiny for hundreds of years, so we must keep it true."

"It's a perfect strategy, now all we have to do is catch Rafael before he gets to the city. Then we will easily be able to overpower them and keep your people safe, Shen." Sariah elaborated.

"Perfect." I sighed inwardly. "But I'm sure that since they have crossed over the peaks in broad daylight they want to be seen. Therefore they think they have an advantage. Why would that be?" I placed a wing under my chin to think.

"Because they think they far outnumber your forces, and that your queen is weak." A new voice sounded behind us and we whirled around. A majestic, muscular young male with a sleek pelt and soft emerald green eyes padded up to Sariah.

"Garrett?" Sariah gasped. "I…I thought," Somehow a blush worked its way into her cheeks and she stepped back. Genji and Bo-Chen giggled at seeing Sariah so shook up. I was a little surprised myself.

"Nope. I played dead when Rafael attacked and got about ten of the hunters away. I was going to come back for you, but, well, my parents sucked me back into the clan and I couldn't. Now I'm the alpha male of, what is now, my clan."

"You always were good at acting Garrett." Sariah mumbled and stepped across the circle to stand next to Bo-Chen. Her fur was standing on end and she couldn't seem to look Garrett in the eye. I remember feeling the same way after I had first met Lien; so nervous, and not want wanting to let on that I was falling in love. It was rather comical for me to watch though.

"Excuse me sir, but you have obviously never met my queen-_to-be_. She is far from weak." I told the dog with a half glare and a smile.

"No, you miss-heard me Prince Shen. I don't think your little peahen is weak. I've heard many legends about her. It is Rafael who has made that fatal mistake." Garrett smiled back. He was an interesting fellow, I'll give him that much.

"Well played." I nodded.

"Weren't we talking strategy?" The first male asked, clearly annoyed that Garrett had showed up.

"Of course." I spoke to drop any tensions that were rising. "Now, there is a huge field between here and the city walls. If we can stop the black wolves before they get to the walls Lien should be able to rally her friends and meet us there." I drew in the dirt with a pointer feather.

"That's perfect!" Genji agreed. "They are so far ahead, though. How do we catch them?" I beamed at the young peacock. Seemed he paid more attention to the talk than I thought. He noticed and smiled up at me. I shot him a wink and he ruffled his feathers to look bigger.

"I know. We can use the tunnels!" Sariah perked up.

"Right! We can cut right through the mountain and cut them off!" Bo-Chen hopped up and down excitedly.

"Aren't they still sealed off?" Genji asked.

"There has to be one that isn't so tightly packed that a few of your wolves can't break through Garrett." She looked up to him with confidence, but when she met his eyes she immediately looked back at her feet.

"That would be fine. I'll bring five of my strongest wolves and you can lead us to a tunnel." Garrett replied and went to talk to his clan.

"You," She turned to the first male.

"Simon, ma'am." He bowed to her.

"Thank you." Sariah sighed and seemed to have relaxed since Garrett left. "Divide the rest of the pack in half. Have half come with us, and the rest follow the tracks. That way we can have them surrounded if they should try to escape."

"I'm on it." Simon saluted and took off to address the Snow Pack.

"Alright peacocks," She then turned to us. "You have to fly ahead and warn Lien-Hua. She has to know that she can't meet Rafael in a frontal attack without us."

"But I can't fly." I said with a false pout.

"Let me see it." Sariah motioned for me to stretch out my wing. I did and she ran her paw over it. "It should hold until you get there. Now go! Get back to Lien. Wait for my signal then lead them in an attack. We'll meet you."

"Thank you Sariah. I will not forget this." I told her in a most heartfelt way.

"Thank you Shen. You re-kindled my need for my pack. See you on the other side." We shared a smile and she turned away.

"Come on Shen! Lien's waiting for us!" Bo-Chen called, already in the air.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" I tested my wing and followed when it didn't hurt to fly. "I'm coming Lien! I'm coming!" I cried at the top of my lungs.

* * *

><p><strong>YIPEE! NEXT CHAPTER SHEN'S COMIN' HOME! I KNOW YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR THIS AS LONG AS I HAVE! OOOOOHHHH but the drama rises! Battle is eminent! Hehehe XD<strong>


	18. Chapter 18: Reunite and into the Fight

**Chapter 18**

**Reunite and into the Fight**

"Gongmen City! The Black Moon Pack, which we thought only existed in the ghost stories we tell around the campfire at night, is coming for the city." I stood on a platform on the palace walls addressing my people. "You all need to get hunkered down in your homes and find a way to protect yourselves, should the Master's Council, our friends from the Jade Palace, and I fail to stop the wolves from getting to the city."

The Kung Fu Masters Council had made it to the city that afternoon, after I had sent out a summons to them. I was glad they had made it so quickly. Master Shilee(sh-I-lee, female), a gangly, striped okapi from far western China, who fought with a bamboo staff like Monkey; Master Jade (female), a cheetah who fought with perfect precision and speed (she had written the Seven Scrolls of Stealth); and Master An (female), a spunky red panda from eastern China who seemed to have a history with Shifu (**Sorry their all girls, I felt like we needed a bit of girls to kick some butt in this story XD too many guys ;)**). They stood to either side of me with Storming Ox and Croc to my immediate left and right.

"We won't let you fight alone!" A brave antelope called from the crowd. The crowd nodded and murmured their agreement.

"I will not be alone. I will have my fellow masters by my side. I cannot put you in danger because of this." I replied.

"We will be in danger anyway! You stood by us to rebuild this city; so we shall stand by you to preserve it!" He replied and the entire city cheered their approval.

"You can't turn them away now." Shifu beamed.

"I suppose you're right." I chuckled and nodded to Ox so he could open the gates. "If you wish to fight, then I must do my best to equip you. Come in the palace and follow me to the armory." I called out to them and soared down to the courtyard. Eagerly the males and a few rebellious females followed me to the old wolf barracks where we had preserved our armor and weapons. I threw open the doors. "Take what you need and find a master. You'll be part of their squad and will take orders from them. Good luck, my brave warriors."

"Thank you Lien!" They placed a fist in their hands and bowed to me. I returned the gesture and beamed.

"Well done Master Lien-Hua." Master Shilee came up behind me with a smile on her stripped face. "Most female rulers never gain this much respect from their people. In that regard, I am jealous of you. Well done." She gave me a playful pout then grinned again.

"Thank you master, but I am not ruling alone. Shen will be free from the mountain soon and we shall rule together." I explained.

"Maybe I'll stick around for the wedding. Whadda you guys say?" Master Jade stepped up, her bright green eyes glowing, and playfully elbowed the okapi.

"I think that would be a grand idea." Master An agreed.

"I would be greatly honored if you ladies chose to stay." I nodded to each of them, "But if you'll excuse me now, I must take a head count. Talk to you later." With that I flew back to my perch on the wall and looked around. I had about five hundred people in the courtyard, all ready and willing to fight for me. I swelled with pride.

"Would you just look at yourself? You're practically glowing." The voice came from behind me, and it made my world pause; I felt tears brim in my eyes as I slowly turned around. There, standing as though he couldn't really believe he was their either, was Shen. He had a soft smile on his beak and his eyes, too, brimmed with happy tears.

"H…How did you…?" I asked stepping up to him and reaching my wing out to stroke his face. He leaned into my wing and caressed my cheek. I felt a warm chill as his flight feathers tickled down my neck to rest on my shoulder.

"I knew I had to get back to my city; and you." He crooned so only I could hear. Two full seconds later, I was wrapped in the warmest hug, my beak pressed to his in a long, passionate kiss. I couldn't help but let my tears fall as I pulled him closer to me, just so I could make sure the peacock in my wings was real. It seemed as though it was all a dream; a wonderful wonderful dream.

"Don't cry, my love." Shen murmured as the kiss broke. "I'm here, and I always will be." He dried my eyes and locked his handsome red-amber ones with mine. "Always." He used my own line against me, the scamp! It made even more of my happy tears fall as I laughed.

"I have no words to tell you how happy I am that you are really alive, and back in my wings." I gasped through the waterworks. Then I pulled him into a tight hug again and buried my face in his shoulder.

"I came as fast as I could after we got out of the mountain." Shen told me through his own soft tears.

"We?" I sniffled and stepped back. He nodded and that soft smile that seemed to be plastered on both of our faces, brightened.

"Yeah. We're here too sis." It was Shen's turn to step to the side so I could see my twin brother and sister looking at me with joy filled faces, their own eyes misted over.

"Genji-Feng? Bo-Chen? It really is you!" I cried and ran up to hug them both. They met me halfway and I was soon enveloped in their golden feathers. Together we cried our eyes out in pure elation of being together again after all these years. We stood there for what seemed like forever and I couldn't have been happier.

Soon Shen snuggled into the hug pile and every single bystander "awed" as we stood there in the sunshine wrapped in each other's wings. "You've gotten so big!" I ruffled their feathers as we stepped apart.

"And what about you? You're going to be the queen of our city!" Genji teased and punched my wing.

"Aw, that's nothing! You guys are going to be turning, what now? Eighteen?" I smiled as Shen wrapped his wing around my shoulders and I snuggled into his feathers.

"Twenty actually." Bo-Chen giggled and hugged me again.

"Twenty! Jeez, do I feel old." I pouted, and Shen rubbed my shoulder affectionately; letting his actions speak what was in his mind.

"Just kidding. It is eighteen." They chorused and I ruffled both their crests.

"Ornery to the core." I shook my head.

"We learn from the absolute best." Genji ruffled up and smiled as I rolled my eyes. Then an eerie howl drifted across the valley.

"Oh right!" I stood and faced the outer wall. "Shen, darling, we seem to be under attack." I looked to him and smiled slyly.

"Is that so? Well, actually, that howl would be our reinforcements." Shen beamed.

"Reinforcements?" I asked as my family lead me over to the outer wall. The black wolves had made it to the outer edges of the field and were full out running for us now. "The Black Moon Pack? They're evil, Shen!" I exclaimed.

"No! Not them! Look at the mountain." He pointed to where the tunnels would be and I watched as a huge pile of rock bust out of place and hundreds of pure-white wolves spilled out of the hole.

"The Snow Pack! You found them!" I kissed Shen again. "How did you do it?"

"It's a long story really, but when we were trapped in the tunnels, we met Sariah, who seems to be of high birth among the pack." Shen explained.

"She got us out of the tunnels and we met her whole pack. Those coming out of the mountain," My little brother pointed to the seemingly endless stream of white wolves, "That's only half of them!" In that moment the Black Moon Pack took notice of the silvery canines and stopped. A few words were exchanged between a young female and the huge black alpha male.

"That's Sariah, talking to Rafael." Bo-Chen told me.

"She's very brave." I replied.

"They have her mother and father. She has to get..." A blood-curdling howl broke the tension in the air and the two packs charged. "Oh no!" My little sister gasped as Sariah was pinned by the black male.

"We have to help them! The rest of the pack isn't here yet!" Genji keened a battle cry and took off, with Bo-Chen on his tail, to help the little she wolf.

"We can't let them have all the fun now can we?" I asked Shen with a gleam in my eyes.

"Of course not." Together we walked to the platform to address our soldiers. "My people! Now is the time for us to defend our city from the ones who think they can take it from us! To Arms!" Shen called and the people roared their approval.

"And to Battle!" I cried. Simultaneously, the white peacock and I keened our battle cry and our people cheered even louder. The soldiers ran through the streets and out onto the field as the Master's Council, The Furious Five, Po, and Shifu sprang over the palace and city walls.

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><p>"Through here!" Sariah called to the wolves following her through the dark tunnels. "This one up here should be right where we want to be." She was running point with Garrett and his team right on her tail. The, former, hermit was truthfully elated to be back with her pack. She hadn't realized how much she missed the company of other creatures until Shen, Bo-Chen, and Genji arrived.<p>

"You sure know what you're doing." Garrett panted, lengthening his stride to run alongside her. "If it were me I'd have gotten lost long ago."

"That's why I'm leading and you're not." Sariah snipped.

"What's eatin' you? You get a tick or something down here?" The male teased. Sariah had to stifle her growl.

"No." Was all the she wolf said as she pulled up at a pile of rock. "This is where we need to break through. Get to work." Garrett joined his wolves and hefted a section of the log they had carried in to use as a battering ram.

"On three. One…Two…Three!" They chanted over and over as they slammed into the rocks. Instantly they started to crumble.

"There you go boys! Perfect! Keep it going!" Sariah cheered as the log finally broke through. Instantly they started throwing rocks into the valley and her squad poured through the opening.

"For freedom!" Some of the dogs called as they sprinted down the mountain to meet the Black Moon Pack on the field of battle. Howls rang out across the valley floor and Rafael stopped.

"Here I come." Sariah breathed to herself and caught Garrett's smile as he heard her.

"Try to keep your head this time." He teased. Before she could reply they reached the black wolves.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't our cowardly little trespasser." Rafael stood almost two heads taller than Sariah but she faced him with her teeth bared and fur bristled. "I had really thought you to be dead after all of this time, but no."

"Cut the talk Rafael." She growled and the two began to circle each other. "Where are my parents?"

"Oh you mean the ones that you attacked and ran away from like a scared little pup? They're right here." The huge black wolf stopped so she could see the small group of white wolves within his ranks.

"Sariah?" An old male asked and stepped forward. A few of the black wolves growled at him but didn't move to stop him.

"Baba?" Both pricked their ears and a shocked look was plastered on their faces.

"You did survive." The male breathed.

"Of course I did. I'm your daughter." She moved to walk up to him.

"Oh how sweet." Rafael crooned jumping between them. "Too bad, Talon, that you thought her dead for all these years. Now you get to watch as she really dies!" Before any one of them could blink Sariah was pinned to the ground, the huge black alpha male pressing on her throat.

"No!" Talon howled and charged into Rafael's ribs. "This is the last battle. You and me."

"Just the way I wanted it!" The black wolf leaped forward, fangs bared, for Snow Pack's alpha male.

"Sariah! Get up!" Garrett ran over to the little she wolf and helped her to her paws. Sariah was gasping for breath, but was able to rise.

"That was **the** scariest thing that has ever happened to me." She said.

"Same here." The young male nuzzled her nose and smiled.

"Aww, how cute!" Two beta wolves jumped forward to meet Garrett with smirks on their muzzles, and Sariah realized the there was a wiry little female looking at her with nothing but hatred in her eyes.

"Bring it!" Sariah snarled and shot forward to meet her in midair. They collided and slammed into the dirt biting and clawing at each other with all their might. The black female grabbed her by the nape of her neck and Sariah went completely limp. Then the enemy dropped her on the grass and dove to bite her neck. Then she jumped up, and flipped her opponent onto her back. Pressing a paw to her throat Sariah growled, "Get out of here and never let me see your ugly face again!"

The other she wolf whimpered and wiggled to her feet. Then tucking her tail she ran for the mountains. "Take that. And that! Yeah, that's right! Get outta here before I really go crazy on ya!" Sariah turned to see Genji-Feng fighting back to back with his sister. They were demonstrating incredible Kung Fu skills and sending the wolves nearest them packing.

"Good job guys!" Sariah called to them. They smiled and waved, but were attacked again. _Where is Shen?_ She wondered. Just then a keening battle cry came from the walls of the city, which were far closer than Sariah had thought, and she saw the silhouettes of two full grown peacocks dive into the battle. _Asked and answered_. She smiled.

More and more creatures came flying over the walls. The Furious Five came as one being plowing through wolves and making Sariah's jaw drop open. The Master's Council, along with the Dragon Warrior and his master, spread throughout the fray to squeeze the Black Moon pack into tighter quarters. Then, from the city, charged hundreds of citizens waving strange swords and cutlasses, and screaming at the top of their lungs.

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><p><strong>YYYYYYEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS! Finally Shen and Lien are together again! I'm sorry I just had to celebrate a little there. XD I will also have to inform you that I will be a little slow from here on out, just because Spring Break is over and I really have to focus on school, 'cause there's only 10 weeks of school left! haha!<strong>


	19. Chapter 19:Freedom from the Past

**Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait! Here's chapter nineteen, in my , so far, longest story!**** I'm glad you guys are enjoying this so much and I expect this story to also have a sequel XD. I hope you're as excited as I am! ;) Well enough out of me! READ AND REVIEW! haha!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 19<strong>

**Freedom From the Past**

Adrenaline surged through my body as I fought these huge canines. I could feel my muscles flowing with new energy. I had Lien by my side; I had my city at my back; and a possible new army tearing through the ranks of the Black Moon Pack. The Kung Fu masters were working the gargantuan shadow dogs into tighter and tighter ranks. I was back where I was meant to be, in battle.

I grabbed one enemy's paw and pinned it to the ground, while fanning and un-fanning my tail to distract two attackers from behind. I turned and heard Lien call to me as she threw her staff for me to use. I caught it without turning my head and slashed the wolves across their ebony chests with the added momentum. It was the same general fight pattern I had used on Ox and Croc the day I had returned to the palace.

"That looked familiar." Lien said as she leapt forward and slashed a burly female's nose with her talons.

"It was." I grunted throwing more blades at three hounds who charged the two of us and handing Lien her staff back.

"Where did my brother and sister go?" Lien asked delivering a roundhouse kick to a beefy male and dropping him to his knees. I paused for a moment to survey the grounds. I didn't see and golden feathers flash in the noonday sunshine. But I could see the pair of enormous alpha males still fighting with incredible vigor, their coats stained in the other's blood, in the center of it all.

As the people came running from the streets, Rafael and Talon paused. Talon pricked his ears and smiled. "Finally." He sighed, "Something goes right."

"No!" The black male breathed and jumped on Talon's back while he was distracted. He sank his fangs into the flesh at the base of the white wolf's skull and the exalted Snow Pack leader collapsed. Rafael chuckled and turned on Lien and I. "Now the only thing standing in my way of the domination of Gongmen City is a pair of frilly little birds."

"Frilly? Let's see how frilly I feel after I take these talons to your throat!" Lien hissed, puffed up in her stance next to me.

"You're battle here is finished," I told him in a deep, threatening tone. "You have one chance to flee this city with what you have left of your pack. One chance." The black wolf looked around; his pack was nearly destroyed. Any wolf that was able to stand was staring at the display. Our army stood behind us, fresh and ready to defend their home.

When he looked back to us, though, his eyes were crazed and his mouth started to ever so slightly foam up. "I will not be beaten! I've planned, trained, and dreamed about this for far too long!" He bellowed in a cracking voice. "I will not be denied my destiny by a pair of scrawny peacocks!" I narrowed my eyes as he charged at us, mouth agape and fangs gleaming.

Lien and I jumped above his head and landed behind him. After he realized what happened, he turned around and charged again. We spread our wings to soar over his head again, but with a burst of speed, he lunged and grabbed my train. With a jerk of his thick neck he dragged me to the ground and pressed on my chest with a massive black paw. His claws dug into my skin and I could hardly breathe as he pressed my lungs into pancakes.

"Shen!" Lien cried and wheeled in the air to come back at Rafael with outstretched Steel Talons. She had almost reached him, but, in an instant, Rafael let go of me, dodged Lien's would-have-been fatal blow and bit down hard on her right leg. I heard the bone crunch, and her agonized scream as the black wolf tossed her to the side. She crumpled in the grass, unable to move and unconscious from the pain. I turned a murderous look at the wolf just as he slammed his paw back on my chest.

As I gasped for breath, and fought the tunnel vision that zoned my brain to a single point of light, he leaned down to my face and his rancid breath choked me more. "Listen peacock. You have failed at everything. I _know_ you are the Lord Shen of old, who ruthlessly murdered the panda people. The one who put a beta pack of my wolves through that horrible twenty year banishment to the high central mountains of China. They worked like slaves for you, and how do you repay them? You turn into a soft hypocrite who banished them form the city that you promised them, then crushed them in that mountain!

"You know how a pack works, peacock, and it's an eye for an eye out here. Now I'm going to kill you, in retribution of my pack, then I'm going to kill your little queen as slowly as I so wish." He paused, "I wonder; how would _Lord_ Shen react to that?" At this I felt old rage pulse through me. I felt totally out of control as my eyes narrowed into slits and I slashed my talons down his soft stomach. He howled and jumped back. I leapt to my feet, fanned my tail for balance, and faced him while taking up a protective stance in front of Lien.

"No one threatens me." I snarled, the feral Lord Shen in me coming out at his idiocy. "You are a useless fool, and I will dispose of you the same way I did all of the other fools who dared enter my path!" With lightning speed I drew three blades per wing and threw them with bulls-eye accuracy at Rafael's chest; the long silver handles appeared like deadly darts on an ebony dart board. He looked down at the blades, smiled back at me, then fell to the ground, his life gone.

The army gasped and stared at me for a moment. "What just happened?" I heard whisper through their ranks. The remainder of the Black Moon pack let out a high pitched keening howl and took off running for the cover of the mountains. I watched Garrett's clan follow them about halfway, then return at a trot; Sariah running next to the young male. I ignored the people's whispers, though, as I turned and crouched over Lien. Gently I lifted her head into my lap.

"Lien. Lien-Hua wake up." I crooned and she stirred a bit. Then I took out a small vile of smelling salts from my robe and held it to her beak. Slowly the scent got to her, and she blinked open her eyes. She looked around, and when she realized I was there she smiled broadly.

"You saved your city Shen." Lien told me, and I could see her swell a bit with pride.

"Yes we did, didn't we?" I agreed after kissing her softly.

"No, _you_ did it Shen! I let my fear take over for my thinking and now I have a broken leg. You kept your head screwed on straight and now your people trust you even more." I smiled at my beautiful bride-to-be. She was so wise when it came to these types of situations; that's why she would make my perfect queen.

"Is everyone alright?" I called to calm the peoples' nerves, and helped Lien stand on her one good leg. I knew they were thinking that I had reverted _Lord _Shen for good, but, luckily, it was only momentarily. The Masters Council and the Jade Palace warriors stepped to the front to report. Master Shilee spoke, "Seems to me that our side has had no casualties. There are several wounded, a few broken bones, but other than that, I think we're on the winning end of the spectrum." She tilted her horse-like, chocolate brown head to the few black wolves that were just disappearing over the peaks.

"Wait…what about…" Lien murmured and we turned. Talon was on the ground, breathing slowly.

"What about what?" Sariah popped up next to us, a gleam in her eyes, until she saw the Snow Pack's leader on the ground. "Father!" She cried and we watched her run over to him with her mother. With Lien leaning heavily on my shoulder and, Bo-Chen and Genji in tow I joined her there. "F…F…Father?" The little white she wolf stammered as she knelt beside him.

"Sariah, my beautiful daughter," Talon spoke in the softest voice and we could barely hear him, "I'm so proud of you!" He squeezed her paw in his as Garrett came to sit by her. "You're fighting today only proves how wrong I was all those years ago about letting you be a hunter."

"No father, I should have listened to you. I am sorry for attacking you." Tears ran down her white muzzle as she spoke to her dying father. "I never should have run away. I acted as a coward, and I deserve to be treated as such."

"Now it is you who is wrong Sariah. You did not act as a coward. I lost my mind over a petty border war and the loss of a bit of our lands. I should have seen you wanting to be a hunter as a good thing, as a sign of a good, independent, leader. But I was blinded by my hatred for Rafael, and my fear of losing you." Talon was losing steam, but I heard Lien sniffle at these heart-felt words. I knew how she wished that she could have the chance to go back in time to see her father before he died, and this was bringing up those wounds. I just wrapped my wing tighter around her and let her cry her soft tears.

"You never lost me father. I lost myself, and in doing so I lost you." Sariah was taking shuddering breaths and her tears were falling freely. I could only imagine the pain she was going through.

"_You _never lost _me_, my wonderful Sariah. And just because our paths in this world part here, doesn't mean that we will never see each other again." The huge alpha male managed a weak smile, and dried her eyes. "I love you my girl, and you are the greatest gift I could ever ask for." And with those final words, Talon, the alpha male of the great Snow Pack, passed into the Great Beyond. As his final breath left him, Sariah burst into tears and buried her face in his chest.

"Goodbye father." She blubbered as her mother and Garrett placed a paw on her back. It was then that her mother started a low, mournful howl that carried through the air for miles. The rest of the white wolves followed suit and soon our ears were ringing with the heart-breaking sound. This continued for a few minutes, and I could feel a few tears of my own brim in my eyes.

I was feeling a horrible shame that I had never felt before. I thought about my parents. I had completely betrayed them. I killed their people; I murdered the people I was supposed to protect. I remembered the absolute horror that was etched on their faces as I returned to the palace the night after my horrible blood-stained conquest.

I was their only heir, the only way to keep the peacock line intact, and I had to be banished from their city, and their hearts. I shattered all of their hopes and plans. And I never got to apologize. _I'm so sorry for what I did. And I promise you, that with my new life I will make you proud. _I called out mentally, just in case they could hear me somewhere in the afterlife.

_You already have my son._ My mother's voice echoed in my mind and it was almost like I could see her sitting next to me, with a warm smile on her face. I smiled contentedly, knowing that I was now forgiven. At the same moment, the howl stopped.

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><p><strong>Ummm... did I forget to mention that you may want a tissue box for the end of the chapter? Oops... my bad. ;)<strong>


	20. Chapter 20: Keep Away

****Ok, so this is the longest, and my most favoritest chapter EVER! OMG I had so much fun with this! haha I hope you really really like it cause I loved it and would write it again if I could go back in time and do that! lol Also! There is a scene in here that was totally influanced by EmmerzK and her story Sacrificial Loyalty (if you haven't read it _YOU ABSOLUTLY HAVE TO READ IT! BUT _read Embrace the Rhythm _FIRST_ cause it won't make sense if you don't). Emmerz, you rock and I just had to! ;) This next chapter should be the last *sniff sniff* but the sequel will be my fourth quarter triumph! haha! Anyway, ENJOY! I know I did! XD****

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><p><strong>Chapter 20<strong>

**Keep-Away**

I dried my eyes from my selfish tears. I had no right to feel sorry for myself when this wonderful pack of wolves was hurting at the loss of their alpha male. Of course I wished with all of my heart and soul that I had been able to see my father just once before he was slaughtered, but I could not do that now. I sniffled and Shen wrapped his wing tighter around me. I looked up at him and knew he was thinking about his parents too; the pain etched on his face told me all I needed to know.

Then the howl stopped, and Shen's face took on a peacefull glow. "Are you alright?" I asked, nuzzling my head under his chin. I felt my white peacock shudder in ecstasy and he sighed happily.

"I'm better than alright. I've got you back now, don't I?" He replied and kissed me sweetly. Then we looked back to the wolves.

Sariah was still crying into her fathers' fur when the kind male that had come to sit next to her touched her shoulder with his paw. She instantly turned and wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his long-furred chest. "He's gone Garrett. He's really gone."

"Hey, shh, shh. Talon will never be truthfully gone." He placed his frosty white paw under her chin and made her look up at him, his soft emerald eyes calming her sobs. "You're here aren't you? And you are his daughter." He said, and a soft smile came to her face.

"I suppose I am." Sariah replied and nuzzled his muzzle. Then a spark came to life in her eyes and she turned "And you know what else Garrett?" The male looked surprised as she stood with her paw held tightly in his. "I've been living inside a mountain, talking to rocks for company, and that's just a bad situation in and of itself." She was talking excitedly, trying to get her words out quickly. "And you know what I decided?"

"What?"

I decided that for the rest of my life I wasn't going to second guess anything that makes me happy. So, Shen and Lien," She turned to us and Shen helped me stand. "I will be your general. I would be honored." She bowed with her free paw over her heart. The other was still holding onto Garrett's paw.

"Thank you Sariah, we will never forget this." Shen told her with a gleam in his eyes.

"And I will never be able to repay you for saving my family. You acted bravely, and you were able to get them out of the tunnels alive." I told her, wishing I could stand on my own to address her solo. "I will be forever in debt to you Sariah."

"Please, all you need to do is get him cooped up so he can't go running off and getting trapped in collapsing caves anymore." Sariah teased placing her paw to her muzzle as though to block the words from getting to Shen's ears.

"Thanks. Now I'll never be able to leave the palace." Shen rolled his eyes and smiled. I bumped my shoulder into him playfully and kissed his cheek.

"Not a problem." The silvery wolf saluted with a sarcastic smile. "It is the least I can do for you since you reunited me with my need for other creatures and my pack. I will stand by you until I can't stand anymore." She said with a bright smile. "Now, Genji and Bo-Chen." She turned to my brother and sister, who I hadn't noticed next to us. They had been totally quiet for a while. "You goofy teens are the best friends I could ask for. Without you guys my life would be as dull and boring as living in a mountain." We all laughed at her remark.

"Same to you Sariah! You're the best hermit ever!" The little golden peafowl ran up and hugged her with all their might as we all continued to laugh at their adorableness. The little white she wolf let go of Garrett's paw and hugged them back.

"You kids are the best." I heard her whisper and felt a surge of pride for my little siblings. They came back over to Shen and I and I ruffled the feathers on their heads.

"Sariah?" Her mother spoke softly and stepped up to her. "I'm glad that you're safe…" Chase trailed off and looked ashamed.

"Mother you can't blame yourself for my lack of a brain. I should have handled it like a lady like you taught me," Sariah started.

"No." The Snow Pack's alpha female pinned her ears back and cut her daughter off. "No Sariah. You handled it the way you did because I was smothering you with annoying etiquette and poise that you didn't even care about. You wanted to be a hunter and I should have supported you in that, not tried to change you. It is my fault for all of this." The mature she wolf gestured to the entire battle field.

"Mother, you are wrong." Sariah ran up to her and wrapped her in a hug. "I love you." I hear her whisper and the crowed "awed." They stood there holding each other tightly for a few more moments but before they let go of each other they whispered something only they could hear. Then they stepped apart and Sariah turned back to Garrett with a flirtatious look on her face.

"And what about me?" He asked with a fake hurt look on his handsome face as Sariah walked back over to him. Without a second thought, Sariah wrapped her paws around his neck and kissed him, long and hard in front of the whole city. Everyone erupted into cheers and shouts of their approval.

"Give it to him Sariah!" Genji called above the roar. As their kiss broke they were laughing, and I had never seen two souls more happy.

"Do you know how long I've been waiting for that?" Garrett shouted above the screams.

"No longer than I have, my dear!" Sariah replied and kissed him again. Both of their tails wagged happily back and forth as Garrett picked her up and spun around.

"You know, they remind me of another couple." Shen told me with a playful look on his face. I caught on, but played along with the charade just for fun.

"Oh really? What kind of creature would display such affection in front of a whole city? Certainly you don't mean the peacocks who plan to rule this city?" I said making it look like I was truly disgusted buy, even the thought, of such a display. "That would be highly unbecoming of a king and queen." Then a giddy smile ruined my mask as Shen's eyes narrowed seductively.

"Unbecoming or not, you make it look good." And with that he dipped me and kissed me ardently. My head spun and I couldn't stop my stomach from doing a backflip. More cheers arose, and among them my siblings.

"Hey that's our sister!" Shen and I failed at finishing the kiss as we burst out laughing.

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><p>A month went by, and the palace was buzzing. After getting back to the palace, helping the Soothsayer patch everyone up, and preparing rooms for the Masters Council, the only thing on everyone's mind was the royal wedding. There was the food to pick out, cherry grove to set up, robe fittings to go to, so on and so forth. I was especially vigilant in keeping Shen away from my gown fitting, as my mother had told me once that it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride's dress before she walked down the aisle in it. I had missed him once though, the scamp, and we had had to make a few minor changes.<p>

I had made a special trip down to Chi's florist and had specially requested that she do the arrangements for the wedding, the reception, and make my bouquet. She had been so thrilled, especially when I asked her to be one of my bridesmaids (I figured since Crane was Shen's best man, he would like to have Chi there too). The pretty crane had shown and incredible amount of talent, not only with the flowers, but also helping the Soothsayer, Chase, and I with the wounded.

Chase had decided to retire at the palace, and now she lived in the garden with the Soothsayer. They had become fast friends and sent their days doing whatever struck their fancy. Sariah and Garrett had taken over the old barracks and half of the Snow Pack had stayed as our army. The other half was now being led by Simon and his mate. On every Summer Solstice, the halves would switch so that they could take a break from our two young general's relentless training.

Bo-Chen was my maid-of-honor and she did her job quite well. She wanted to pick out the musicians and help Chi with the flowers, and the little peahen was having the time of her life! She and Genji-Feng were going to walk me down the aisle and give me away, and they had been teasing Shen and I about it every minute of every day; saying things like "You better treat her right," and "Sis, you gotta try and keep the nest intact." They just about drove us crazy with utter embarrassment.

But tonight was the night before the wedding, and everyone was insanely excited; Shen and I being at the top of the list. The groomsmen had planned out a special bachelor's party and were taking Shen out to my old rice farm for some "guy time" before he was all mine. The girls had something planned for me to, and I was super excited. Oh but wait, I forgot to mention that Shen hadn't left yet, and we were messing around in the garden...

"Would you just come back here?" I cried and chased my prince around and around the lotus pond. He had stolen the wooden comb that my father had given to me and I had been chasing him for almost an hour now trying to get it back.

"What? Am I too fast for you, Miss Kung Fu master?" He teased and dodged around me…again. I panted and placed my wings on my knees. My legs were trembling from the adrenaline, and I felt incredibly out of shape. I had just received the Soothsayer and Chase's stamp of approval and had been testing out my legs. My one leg had healed in a sort of flat way just where it had been crushed by Rafael. It wasn't normal and round like the other one, but it still worked the way it was supposed to; I could still flex my talons and such, but I did have a slight limp if I over worked it.

"Not too fast for me…usually." I panted and turned around. I couldn't see Shen anywhere. "Shen? Where did you go?" I walked around a small grouping of almond trees and still couldn't seem to find him. I paused for a moment to listen, and then, as if by some divine intervention, the comb fell on the ground in front of me. I shot my gaze to the canopy just in time to see Shen dive off a branch and tackle me to the ground. "Gahhhhhhh!" I cried and tried to shove him off me. Then we rolled over the edge of a little hill and began to tumble down, head over tail, to the base and another pond.

"SHEN! SHEN MAKE US STOP!" I called, but it was too late; we summer-salted into the pond head first sending a huge wall of water crashing over the far bank. Crane and Chi had been walking on the other side and were instantly soaked by the wave.

"What the…?" Crane grumbled as we surfaced and he shook off the water. Then he and Chi started to laugh so hard they flopped on the grass and clutched at their stomachs.

"Priceless!" Chi gasped through the bouts of laughter. I looked over at Shen and he had surfaced with a lily pad resting perfectly on his head. The flower bloomed out of the top and looked like a funny little bun. I started to laugh as well as I waded over to take it off his head. But just as I reached for it Shen pulled it back, kissed me on the beak quickly, and grabbed my wing. With a devilish smile he jerked me back into the water.

"SHE…!" I screamed but was cut off by the water. I opened my eyes to see him wading as quickly as he could for the bank, and a thought occurred to me. I dove to the bottom of the pond and shoved off with all of my strength. I shot through the surface and spun around in midair to shake off the water. The droplets flew in all directions creating little rainbows as they were hit by the setting sun light and I heard Chi cheer at the display. I hovered for a moment to get my bearings and spied Shen running full out for the almond tree grove, and my comb.

"Not this time buddy." I said to myself and dove after him. The air split around my face and dried out my feathers from the speed, and it was then I noticed another bird in the air next to me. Chi had followed me and Crane had gone to help Shen.

"Let's get 'em." She called over the rush of the wind. I smiled and nodded. I zoomed under the canopy and Chi stayed above to catch Crane. I could see the comb and Shen was getting dangerously close. Using a short teleportation I appeared right in front of him and plucked the comb off the ground.

"Ha! I got it!" I smiled and squealed playfully as Shen narrowed his eyes and leapt in the air to fight me there. "Nononononono!" I sputtered and took off for the open sky. I was almost there when a brown flash of fur caught my attention, and Monkey grabbed the comb from my talons. "Wha?" I paused and whirled to see him going to hand it to the white peacock.

"Oh come on! Give us a challenge sweetie." Shen teased and waved the comb around in the air. There was another flash of brown fur and Bo soared through, reclaiming my comb.

"How's this for a challenge?" I replied and Bo handed me the comb and stuck out her little pink tongue at my fiancé and the two masters.

"Not much." Another voice entered the grove and an insect sized green flash zipped up and took the comb away again.

"Really Mantis?" I sighed and dove at him. He threw it in the air and Monkey reached to grab it. Just when the simian thought victory was eminent another, lighter green flash grabbed the wooden bauble. I looked up and saw Viper wrapped around a tree branch with the lotus comb in her coils.

"Silly monkey." She teased and took off for open ground when Monkey let out a screech and chased her. I wove myself through the tight tree trunks and spied a black and white blob coming at me full speed. With an easy tilt of my wings I passed easily over Po's head and pumped my wings to help Viper who was locked in a sparring match with Monkey.

"Here!" Tigress sprinted out of the palace and Viper tossed her the comb. The female master caught it with ease and took off running for the wolf barracks, Shen, Po, and Crane hot on her tail.

"Chi! Bo! Take care of Crane! I'll get the other two." I called to my partners and they saluted and chased after Crane's streamline. I sprinted faster than I ever have in my life and caught Po. I tripped him and kept running, but he grabbed my long tail and pulled me back. Quickly I fanned it and in shock Po cried out and let me go. Now for Shen, who had caught Tigress and they were sparring on the barrack walls. I flew up behind him and all three of us paused.

"I'm sure you think you have me beaten now, don't you?" Shen crooned and I spotted a flash of white coming across the courtyard of the barracks.

"I do not. I _know_ we do." I replied and lunged forward. Just as I did Shen threw the comb over his shoulder and Garrett appeared out of nowhere and caught it in his mouth. I barreled into Shen with my momentum and we collapsed on the wall. I landed on top of him and shot him a narrow eyed look.

"Seems you don't know as much as you thought." Shen sneered and I struggled to my feet to chase the white wolf.

"Garrett! Get back here!" I called and he shook his head. He and the other guys were running back towards the palace now, and we couldn't let them get there. I was shortening the distance between myself and the alpha male, when another flash of white barreled into his side and Sariah arrived. They both tumbled off to the side and the comb flew out of Garrett's mouth and into the air.

Bo zoomed in and grabbed it, but Crane snagged her tail and she dropped it with an angry squeak. Then Chi dove into a loop and caught it in her talons, with Shen chasing her in a figure eight through the air. "Lien! Help me!" She cried as Shen soared in front of her and she had to stop. The pretty crane threw it over Shen's head and I banked right to catch it. I nearly had my talons wrapped around the wooden accessory when Po appeared again and snagged it.

"Haha!" He laughed and took off running again. I sighed angrily and pumped my wings after him. We were nearing the big lotus pond and Tigress bowled him over, and the comb shot into my talons.

"YES!" I cheered and turned around, just in time to see Crane coming in hot. I spun around and moved to kick at him with my free leg, but Mantis bumped my foot and I wobbled in flight just a bit as he took the comb. Crane ran smack into me and we crashed into the grass with a sigh. I lay there for a split second then stood up to see Sariah coming for Mantis and again the little master threw it in the air. It sailed over the still water of the lotus pond and every single one of us leapt for it. I nearly had it when a flash of red and white fur soared over the whole group, grabbed the comb, and landed on the far bank.

Then we all had the same thought, "Oh no!" Not realizing what we did, we had dumbly leapt over the pond and now were all falling into the depths of the water. With a highly undignified scream we splashed into the pond. I dove deeper to avoid getting kicked or whacked by another creature swimming for the surface. As soon as my eyes adjusted I watched for an opening and ended up catching up to Shen and crawling onto the bank next to him.

I lay there panting for a few minutes, trying to catch my breath then looked over at Shen. "Well played peacock." I smiled and we sat up. Looking across the pond I saw Master An and Master Shifu smiling devilishly at us, the comb in their paws. Every one of us sighed and started to laugh as Master Shifu leapt over the pond with ease and presented the comb to me with a bow.

I reached for it, but Shen beat me there and snagged it out of Shifu's paw. I whipped my gaze to stare him down, but he kissed me before I could feel truly angry. I wrapped my wings around my darling fiancé, and he placed the comb in the feathers on the back of my head, then pulled me close to him and spun around. As the kiss broke I smiled, and Shen whispered in my ear, "I love you."

"I love you more." I replied.

"Impossible." The prince replied and kissed me again passionately.

"Whoa! We walked out at the wrong time." Genji exclaimed and ran back into the palace, not letting Bo-Chen into the garden.

"Hey! What's happening? Are they kissing?" I heard Bo-Chen object as she was dragged away. I smiled but didn't want to break the kiss.

"Ok! Ok! We get it! You're getting married! Would you just cut it out?" Sariah called and this time we stepped apart laughing.

"Aw come on! This is the last I get to see of my Shenny before he really is my husband." I said the fake pet name in a babyish voice, and Po, Mantis, Monkey, Garrett and Sariah made sick faces and pretended to gag. Crane and Chi rolled their eyes and shared an adorable look.

"And I my beautiful little lotus." Shen replied in the same tone, and we had the same ornery thought. We kissed again and made it the most obnoxious one yet.

"I'm outta here!" The fore-mentioned chorused and turned away. Shen and I laughed again. I looked up into his eyes and saw nothing but pure joy.

"Seems that I have to go." He told me.

"Seems you do." I replied and we shared a tight hug. "I'll see you tomorrow, and the waiting will be over."

"I've waited three years, I think one more night may kill me." He teased and gave me another quick kiss before following the guys. "Genji! Let's go!" He called to my little brother.

"Is it safe?" He poked his little golden head around a pillar and saw his almost brother-in-law take off.

"Yep, you won't have to see that again for a _whole night_!" Garrett told the teen peacock and ruffled his crest.

"Hallelujah!" Genji cried and followed the guys over the wall and out across the city.

"See you tomorrow." Crane gave Chi a quick kiss and followed my brother, catching up to him and play-fighting with him in the air.

"Aww." I sighed and turned my gaze back to Shen's silhouette. As if he knew I was watching him, he flew in a heart-shaped pattern and waved; I waved back and blew him a kiss. Soon they were out of sight and I turned back to the girls. We were all shivering slightly because of the chill of the sun going down, and our wet hides. "How about we go inside and get some tea before we freeze to death." I chuckled.

"Sounds good, then we can try out this cool lotion I made out of crushed lotuses, and Shea. You girls are gonna love it!" Chi exclaimed and we made it up to my room, laughing and talking girl nonsense.

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><p><strong>Did you see it? Did you see it Emmerz? lol I LOVE this chapter! XD<strong>


	21. Chapter 21: I Do Finally

**Chapter 21**

**I Do…Finally**

The next morning came with sunshine and the steady hum of anticipation. I was still asleep when I heard soft footfalls from across the room coming in my direction. "Shh. Do you guys want to wake her up?" I heard Bo-Chen whisper.

"Isn't that the point?" Tigress replied. I smiled softly and pretended that I was having a wonderful dream.

"Aww, look at her. I bet she's dreaming about the wedding." Chi murmured.

"Ok enough if this," Sariah grunted, and a huge bucket of water poured on my head. I gasped, awake instantly, and jumped out of the waterfall.

"What the heck is wrong with you guys?" I screamed and shook my feathers. Luckily I had been sleeping on the balcony in the morning sunshine instead of in a nest, because the nest would have been ruined.

"Happy Wedding Day!" They cheered and Tigress handed me a little tray with a bowl of the famous noodle soup and a few sweets. "The water was strictly Sariah's idea." Tigress smiled.

"Psssht! You found the bucket!" Sariah replied and elbowed the tiger. All she did was roll her eyes and smile innocently at me.

"Ah-ha." I sighed and shook my feathers again dousing them in the spray. "Well usually I would have some plan to get you guys back, but…"I paused and giggled in a silly little girl way while hopping around in circles, "I'M GETTING MARRIED TODAY AND I DON'T CARE!" I pulled them into a huddle and we were all smiling in the same way.

"YES YOU ARE! FINALLY!" Bo-Chen screamed in agreement and we danced around.

"What time is it?" I asked looking at the sun's position, "And how late did we stay up?"

"It's almost nine o'clock." Viper replied.

"We stayed up way late. That game of extreme Ma Jong went on forever!" LaBozzetta said. Now Ma Jong was a fairly dull and boring, but _extreme_ Ma Jong **(yeah, it's a bad excuse for something to do for a bachelorette party, but I had nothing to go with. ;))** was totally different. We had invented it at the Jade Palace and it was far more complicated; as in there was a lot of showing off, mainly with our Kung Fu skills. Chi had shown an incredible talent there too, seemed that she was full of surprises.

"Great! Less time for me to have to wait!" Giddy butterflies fluttered in my stomach and I couldn't stop smiling no matter how hard I tried. The wedding was at noon, when the sun was at its peak and shone on the little cherry grove just right. Where else to have our wedding than the place where we first kissed? Shen and I would say our vows under the little grouping of cherry trees that had woven themselves together to form a little roof of the pretty pink petals.

"Then let's get to gettin' you ready!" Sariah shrugged and lead the way down to the bath house so that we could all bathe. When we were finished we returned to the seventh tier in soft robes to preen up. Tigress and Sariah had been less than happy about the fact that they had to dress up in long robes and tuck a lotus behind their ears, but with a little coaxing, and batting of the eyes, we got them to cave. All of the girls were going to look stunning.

Tigress' robe was deep gold with a dragon embroidered in deep red thread across the whole silk canvas, along with a few swirly designs and flowers. Sariah's robe was lapis blue with a silver river flowing over the folds of the robe. Chi had a light pink one with all sorts of colorful flower arrangements. Viper had two new solid gold cuffs made for the end of her tail and around her neck, which were engraved with mystical designs, and the carve lines were packed with silver. Bo had an adorable little salmon colored robe with flowers and clouds stitched in amber colored thread. Bo-Chen had a deep red robe with a scenic rising sun and mountains embroidered in gold. We were all super excited to show off in our new finery in front of the boys, but, obviously, none more so than me.

My gown was spectacular to say the least. Pure white silk flowed like a soft waterfall from my shoulders to the floor, as cascades of spider-lace flowed around the skirt. My train covered the entirety of my tail and lighter pink lace played across the frosty fabric. The sleeves were long and trimmed in light pink, and my lotus was embroidered on the train in silver thread. My veil was short, so as to not get in the way of the splendor of the dress and was held in place by the wooden comb my father gave me (yes, the same one we fought over the night before).

Chi had worked wonders on my bouquet, as well. She had taken two small branches of cherry and almond blossoms and set them as a backboard for five fully bloomed lotuses. In front of those flowers she had arranged white orchids with their smiling petals to stand out in the front.

It was now about eleven o'clock and we started our way through the streets to get to the cherry tree grove and get dressed in the little tent that we had set up for us so that we didn't ruin our gowns walking through the city.

"Sixty minutes and counting!" Bo cheered as she soared over our heads and to the cherry grove. We were almost at the gates and I wanted Bo to go ahead of us and tell the boys to keep Shen in his tent.

"Sixty minutes…" I sighed and looked around, trying to keep my mind preoccupied. I was feeling almost sick. What if something went wrong? What if I tripped on my way down the aisle? What of bandits show up and trash the whole thing? I had an endless list of what if's and had told my girls all about it.

"Lien, just calm down. This is the happiest day of your life! You can't fret about every little detail that could go wrong." Viper told me and slithered closer to my side.

"Besides, the likelihood of anything happening is zero to none. You're going to be totally fine." Tigress added.

"I know, you guys told me earlier." I grumbled and tried to take a deep breath and keep myself from getting sick.

"Aw come on sis. You'll be fine. You're never clumsy!" Bo-Chen tried but I just looked back to my feet.

"Hey," Chi stepped in front of me and held my shoulders, forcing me to look up at her, "My sister was acting the same way on her wedding day, and she ended getting sick and we had to postpone her wedding. Do you want that?" She asked holding eye contact.

"No." I mumbled and shook my head.

"Ok then. I want you to close your eyes and take a deep breath." I did so and relaxed just a bit. "Now, picture Shen's face. Think about all of the wonderful times you've had together. Think about how happy you are to be his wife." She said in a caring voice, and I did as she told me. Instantly, I felt better; I felt like a whole big weight was taken off my shoulders. I pictured Shen's sleeping face when I woke on the top of the Tower of Sacred Flame; his face when he returned to the palace right before the battle; the spark in his eyes after interrupting my Kung Fu class all those weeks ago.

With one more deep breath I opened my eyes and smiled. "Ok. I'm ready." My nerves were rested and my mind was at ease. "Let's get dressed girls!"

* * *

><p>"Ok lover boy. You are officially trapped in here until we let you out." Garrett told me and pulled the door closed on our tent.<p>

"So that means that Lien's here?" I replied sarcastically.

"Duh!" Po, Mantis and Monkey replied.

"Finally. Twenty three years of waiting, and here we are." I sighed and played with the ends of my robe. It was white with red silk on the trim and my rising sun stitched on the back. I felt rather spectacular dressed up in this finery, but I couldn't help but feel nervous. This was what I had been waiting for for what seemed like forever.

"Oh come on. Don't tell me you're having second thoughts?" Crane teased.

"NO!" I exclaimed and stood. "Never! Just last minute nerves I guess." I sighed again.

"Well good, cause I would have had to hurt you so bad!" Genji joshed and elbowed me.

"I promise that I would _never_ hurt your sister like that. It would kill me." I told the golden peacock and reached to ruffle his crest, but he dodged.

"Nuh-uh! I spent forever on this piece of perfection this morning!" I grinned at Crane and the spindly bird walked up behind him and tousled it gently. "REALLY? It's all a conspiracy!" Genji wailed over dramatically, and fixed his feathers while we laughed.

"The only conspiracy is the fact that you two teens are here. You really think that a handful of Kung Fu masters can take care of you?" Po replied, and we burst out laughing again. We joked around for a little longer until a little antelope ran up to the tent and told me that we were ready.

"Woohoo! Let's do this!" Genji exclaimed and practically shoved me out of the tent.

"Easy there spit-fire. I'm going." I took a deep breath, let it out and let a warm smile come to my beak. Gracefully, with my head held high, I stepped out of the tent and strowed down the aisle. The entirety of the city nodded to me as I walked down feeling my stomach twist in knots. I made it to the end and stood before Shifu, who had agreed to marry us.

"I like the robe." He told me in a friendly manner.

"Thank you." I said quickly and nodded.

"Take a deep breath. You won't even remember what it's like to feel nervous here in about three minutes." The elder red panda teased and I allowed a chuckle to escape my beak. As I turned my head back down the aisle to the tents I watched Genji and Bo-Chen step out, practically glowing with pride to be part of such an anticipated affair. They were closely followed by Crane and Chi, Sariah and Garrett, Monkey and Viper, Bo and Mantis, and Po and Tigress. The girls all looked stunning in their splendid gowns, with a small lotus tucked behind their ears, and small bouquet of cherry blossoms.

As Tigress and Po took their positions everyone stood as Genji and Bo-Chen walked back down the aisle to get their sister. They peeked their heads in the tent and I saw a flash of feathers. Then, my whole world went into slow motion. Holding her skirt in her wing Lien, my lovely bride, stepped out of the tent and linked her wings with her siblings, letting her exquisite dress flow down to the cherry petal carpet. She straightened her neck, then dipped her head to form a sleek S-curve with her neck. Ever so slowly she looked up to my eyes and everything, the nerves, the impatience, any thoughts that were coursing through my grey matter, completely evaporated.

My heart was pounding with pure, undeniable joy, and I felt short of breath as they made it to the five little cherry trees. I couldn't look away from her even if I wanted to, there was just no physical way to do it. "Who presents the bride here today?" Shifu asked kindly, but to me his voice seemed far away.

"We do Master Shifu. Genji-Feng and Bo-Chen, Twin brother and sister and only living relatives of Master Lien-Hua. We are here to present our sister to the worthy Prince Shen." They said in rehearsed unison, then Genji smiled and added in a passive-aggressive tone, "Treat her right." Lien snapped her gaze over to him and rolled her crystalline blue eyes. "Love you sis!" Both peachicks murmured and kissed her on the cheek as I stepped up to take her. I swelled to at least five times my size as Lien turned back to me and placed her wing on mine, and we stepped back up to Shifu.

"You look magnificent!" I whispered to her as Shifu started talking, stating the vows.

"Same to you." She replied.

"Lien-Hua, do you take this peacock to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, to love and cherish for as long as you both shall live?"

Looking directly into my eyes, her wings clasped in mine, Lien spoke the two little words that sealed her end of the deal, "I do." She smiled widely and her eyes brimmed with tears, delighted tears.

Shifu beamed and turned to me, "And Prince Shen, do _you_ take this peahen to be _your_ lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, to love and to cherish for as long as you both shall live?"

I paused for a moment, no not to think it over; I knew my answer. But to rather see the images of me and her through the years flip through my mind. When we first met, our first kiss, the first time I saw her after twenty years in the courtyard ready to fight me, seeing her curled up in my wings after sleeping on the Tower of Sacred Flame. Lastly the look of utter delight on her face when we returned to the palace. I blinked once, twice, and sighed. These images zipped through my mind in mere seconds, and when they were finished, I refocused on my lotus.

"I do."

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><p><strong>I can't believe it! Last chapter of my last KFP fanfic...for a while at least (There's no way a fairly sane person would leave a cliffhanger like that at the end and a) not expect death threats, and b) stay fairly sane! XD). I've promised my Rio fans a little somethin' somethin' so I'll be reverting to Rio for a while, but please <em><span>FEEL FREE TO CHECK THEM OUT<span> TOO! _I love these stories so incredibly much, and I can't wait for the third story in the seris, it's gonna totally rock your socks off! lol Well enough from me, but I would like a LOT from you! As in an insanely long review to just make me explode with mere happiness! XD **

**~PrairieRose1017**


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